China News Service, April 28 — According to Taiwan’s “China Broadcasting News,” a hiking accident has occurred on the high-altitude Dongjun Mountain in Nantou, Taiwan. Hiking team members from northern Taiwan were struck by lightning, leaving one, surnamed Xu, the team leader, in stable but critical condition with paralysis in the lower body after emergency treatment. The county fire department requested rescue helicopter assistance, but due to poor mountain weather and low visibility, the helicopters can only remain on standby, waiting for clearer conditions before proceeding with the rescue.
Dongjun Mountain, part of the Central Mountain Range, was the site of a hiking accident on the 26th when hikers were struck by lightning. Local authorities in Nantou County were urgently notified to assist in the rescue. After investigation by rescue personnel, it was determined that the group consisted of 14 hikers from a northern Taiwan mountaineering association. Shortly after beginning their climb early that day, they were caught in a thunderstorm. Amid heavy lightning, team leader Xu and another female hiker were found collapsed. The county fire department immediately assembled a ground search and rescue team to head up the mountain, but the trek is expected to take one to two days. As a result, they requested the Taiwan Search and Rescue Command Center to dispatch a helicopter for immediate rescue. However, due to persistently poor weather and low visibility over the mountains, only one helicopter mission has been possible in the past three days, and even then, the team could not get close to the target area, forcing them to return without success. On the 28th, the helicopter remains on standby, hoping for improved weather to enable a flexible rescue operation.
According to police and firefighting authorities, the hiking team was led by team leader Xu, who entered the Central Mountain Range from Ruisui in Hualien. They had planned to travel from Dongjun Mountain through the Junda Forest Road to the New Central Cross-Island Highway. However, shortly after breaking camp at the North Saddle Campsite on Dongjun Mountain, the lightning strike occurred. The latest information from the county fire department indicates that the team leader suffered lightning strikes to his left neck and right leg, initially causing him to lose consciousness. After being revived by his teammates, he regained consciousness but is now paralyzed in the lower body and unable to eat. His condition remains critical.