The people have finally been found. On the afternoon of May 12, news came from the rescue front line of the "429" avalanche incident that Wei Feng and two others trapped in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon avalanche had been located, with no life-threatening injuries. Under the escort of the rescue team, they began to move out of the canyon and are expected to arrive at Zhaqu Village, Palong Township today. If all goes well, the rescuers and the trapped individuals could return to Palong by the 18th.
"Trapped for half a month and surviving with great resilience, they’ve created a miracle of life. Thank you to the brave rescuers!" said netizens.
News
The three trapped individuals have been found
No life-threatening injuries
On the 12th, 14 days after the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon avalanche incident, Henan hikers Wei Feng and two others had those who cared about them worried sick.
Just as people were anxious over the severed communication between the front and back lines and the uncertain fate of the trapped individuals, good news arrived around 6 p.m. that day — Wei Feng and the other two had been found.
The messenger is named Bardan, a local Tibetan and one of the first seven brave souls who followed renowned guide Xirao into the canyon for the search and rescue mission.
He said that they entered the canyon on May 4. In order to find the trapped individuals as soon as possible, they pushed forward desperately, not daring to rest along the way, and ate or drank whatever they could when thirsty or hungry. Relying on Xirao’s experience and physical advantage, they covered a distance that would normally take 8–10 days in just three days and two nights, finally arriving at the incident site at 4 p.m. on the 7th.
By then, Wei Feng and the two porters had been trapped in the mountains for eight days. In this desperate situation, seeing people from outside, the three burst into tears.
The rescue team found that the food left by hiker Sun Huitao before he went out to seek help was almost gone. All three were very weak but not in life-threatening condition. The most seriously injured, Wei Feng, was extremely thin. Medical personnel provided emergency treatment.
Resilient
Previously learned self-rescue knowledge helped a lot
How did Wei Feng and the other two survive eight days trapped in the harsh conditions with no contact?
According to Bardan, during their time trapped, the three encouraged each other, believed rescuers would come, and prepared for the worst by rationing their food to extend survival time. Meanwhile, the least injured porter took care of the other two.
"Years of Silence," captain of the Henan Outdoor Rescue Team, said that the self-rescue knowledge Wei Feng had learned before the trip played a key role. Early wound treatment and medication use bought precious time for later rescue. Also, the items he brought were well-prepared — medications, gauze, bandages, and the like were all in place.
"Most importantly, it was the will to survive among the three. In such a near-limit situation, they remained optimistic while waiting for rescue," said "Years of Silence."
Rescue
Returning the same way was too dangerous, so a new route was chosen temporarily
To conserve energy, the rescue team rested here for two days, and the second team also arrived by then.
After the two teams met, they discussed the rescue plan. If they returned along the original route to Pail town in Mainling County, the path was too long, the terrain too rugged, with many cliffs and steep slopes, making it very difficult and dangerous to transport the injured.
To ensure the safe and timely return of everyone, renowned guide Xirao and others scouted another route across the Xixingla Pass. They decided to escort the three trapped individuals back via the "Xixingla Pass – Zhaqu – Palong" route. At the same time, Bardan was sent down to deliver the news and ease concerns outside.
This young man lived up to the mission — traveling alone for three days and three nights, he finally arrived at Jiala Village at 6 p.m. on the 12th. Using the village chief’s satellite phone, he reported the uplifting news to the rescue command: "All three injured are alive."
With the canyon exit route changed, the rescue command post was also moved from Pail town in Mainling County to Zhaqu Village, Palong Township, and the previously formulated rescue plan was adjusted.
Progress
Crossed the river, will arrive at Zhaqu Village today
Yesterday at 5 p.m., Wei Feng suddenly called "Years of Silence." The two broke into tears after just a couple of words.
At 10 p.m. last night, after calming down, Wei Feng called again. This time, the two talked for over ten minutes. Wei Feng was eager to come over and see his old friends. "Years of Silence" advised him not to rush and to ask the rescue team for anything he wanted to eat — no need to be shy.
"Years Silent" said that during the phone call, Wei Feng and the others had already reached the hillside opposite Zhaqu Village, separated from the village only by a very wide river. There was a zip line across the river connecting the two banks.
However, the rescuers who were escorting the injured had been marching at a fast pace all the way, exhausting a lot of their energy, so they decided to rest on the opposite bank and cross the river again today.
Regarding the online community's concern about Wei Feng’s leg injury, "Years Silent" said that among the second rescue team that entered, there was a volunteer who was a doctor. He had treated the wound at the time, set the broken bone, and bandaged it. From the phone call, it was learned that Wei Feng’s leg could be saved.
The zip line over the river can only carry one person at a time. For able-bodied people, it’s convenient, but figuring out how to get an injured person across requires some thought.
However, it is certain that today, both the injured and the rescuers will reach Zhaqu Village. Although this place still has no road access, it is at least an inhabited area, and the subsequent rescue efforts will gradually speed up.
Family members
Trust the local rescue efforts and wait for further news before making plans
For Wei Feng’s mother, the best Mother’s Day gift was that her son Wei Feng had been found.
During the time Wei Feng was trapped, the netizen "Gallop" kept comforting the two elderly parents in Wei’s family and coordinated the work between the front and back lines.
He said that after hearing the news of Wei Feng’s rescue, the Wei family had only half of their worries lifted. As long as Wei Feng had not yet exited the canyon, the parents’ concerns would not diminish.
The Wei family fully trusts the rescue attitude and capabilities of the local government. To avoid causing trouble for the local area, they currently have no plans to go to the rescue site. They will discuss sending someone to handle follow-up matters once everything becomes clearer.
"Years Silent" said that as for the treatment of the injured, it should mainly be handled by hospitals in the Nyingchi area, unless the condition is severe, in which case they will be transferred. All of this follows the arrangements of the rescue command center. The Wei family is very grateful to the rescuers and those who cared about the incident after Wei Feng was found.
Netizens
The injured have created a miracle—thank you to the brave rescuers
The danger and predicament faced by Wei Feng and others have been tugging at the hearts of many netizens. Many people refreshed Weibo every day just to find news of their rescue.
Netizen "Parasitic Cat": I’m not an outdoor enthusiast myself, but I believe in the miracles of life, so I’ve been following this closely. The news that they’re alive truly moved me to tears. The creation of this miracle came not only from their perseverance but also from the three-day forced march of the first rescue team. If the two who came out to report the situation took five days out of sheer survival instinct, then the rescue team arriving in three days was driven by simple, great love. I strongly urge that they be awarded medals for acts of bravery.
Netizen "Wandering Away": Suggest Henan include Milin County in its aid program as a gesture of gratitude from the people of Henan.
Netizen "One Foundation Rescue Alliance": Exiting through Zhaqu can save a lot of time, but cutting across Xixingla Mountain is also quite dangerous. Hope the weather is good these few days so the rescuers can safely transport the injured out of the mountains.
Debate
Massive human and material resources expended
Is it a waste of public resources?
News of hikers getting into danger frequently appears in the media.
On April 5 last year, Beijing police dispatched police helicopters twice to rescue lost hikers stranded in the mountains, successfully saving 56 people. On January 27 this year, a tourist in Fujian fell off a cliff while climbing Mount Siguniang, and the scenic area dispatched six rescue teams totaling 45 people...
Each accident triggers online debates about whether "rescue efforts waste public resources."
Netizens say that exploration should be done within one’s capabilities—it shouldn’t turn exploration into adventure or joy into sorrow.
Others say that when one person gets into danger, a group of people is mobilized for rescue. An individual’s risky behavior wastes social public resources.
But in the view of netizen "Honey Cake," the idea of "waste" is untenable. Although exploration is a personal activity, these individuals are also taxpayers and fully entitled to enjoy public resources and services. Moreover, no one deliberately puts themselves in danger—even with the best preparation, accidents can happen.
However, more netizens are thinking about how to prevent such tragedies from happening again. A lawyer stated that the government should set entry thresholds for outdoor exploration, establish unified norms and standards, and create a registration and filing system for hikers—for example, requiring communication and filing with relevant local departments before entering the mountains—to improve the safety of outdoor activities.
Retrospective
Exploration encounter avalanche, Henan hikers in danger
On the morning of April 19, Wei Feng, a backpacker from Zhengzhou, and Sun Huitao, a backpacker from Luoyang, set off from Galaxiang Village in Pai Town, Milin County, Nyingchi Prefecture, Tibet, entering the core area of the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon. The two were accompanied by five local guides and porters.
At around 3:00 p.m. on April 29, the seven people encountered an avalanche on Xixingla Mountain. Two porters were killed on the spot. Aside from Sun Huitao and one porter who were unharmed, three others, including Wei Feng, sustained serious injuries. After tending to the injured, Sun Huitao and one porter returned to seek help.
On the afternoon of May 4, Sun Huitao returned to Pai Town and reported the incident by phone to the relevant authorities to request assistance. Milin County immediately activated its emergency rescue plan and deployed rescuers in three batches to carry out the mission.
The avalanche site was deep within the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon. Reaching the location required crossing multiple snow-capped mountains. Due to the lack of roads, the rugged terrain, and steep altitudes, rescuers had to proceed entirely on foot. Additionally, extreme weather conditions such as heavy snow and storms frequently occur deep in the canyon, making the rescue operation extremely challenging.