Early yesterday morning at 1 a.m., the body of a deceased hiker was carried from Qingyin Gully to Shengshuiyu Village, Hancunhe Town, Fangshan District. In an attempt to check on his companion who had fallen off the cliff, this hiker fell to his death while climbing down toward the base of the cliff, but his companion survived after luckily landing on soft sheep dung. Rescuers locate trapped hikers within two hours
After the incident, Fangshan police and the Blue Sky Rescue Team participated in the rescue operation. Wu Jihai, the rear commander of the Blue Sky Rescue Team, told reporters that the two hikers met online and were both locals from Fangshan. The deceased hiker, 55 years old, was a factory worker, while the injured hiker was a politics teacher.
It is understood that the two started hiking at 7 a.m. on the 13th, carrying only a small amount of food, planning to return the same day. But by evening, there was no word from them, and their phones were turned off. Their families then called for rescue assistance. The rescue team arrived at the scene at 4 p.m. on the 14th and located the two trapped individuals around 6 p.m.
Sheep dung saves hiker’s life
According to the injured hiker, the two began descending the mountain around 6 p.m. on the 13th. It was already dark when they reached the accident site, and he accidentally fell off the cliff. The cliff was about 10 meters high, almost vertical and extremely steep. Thinking he wouldn’t survive, he happened to fall near a sheepfold and landed on sheep dung, which saved his life.
After the injured hiker fell, his companion, eager to help, attempted to climb down to the base of the cliff to check on him. Midway, he accidentally fell as well. Unfortunately, he landed on a pile of rocks, hitting his head first, and died. It is understood that the two hikers did not have much climbing experience, having climbed for less than a year.
According to rescuers, the two hikers had walked approximately 20 kilometers of mountain trails that day and fell at the last difficult section of the descent. It was already dark when they were descending, and eager to get home, they were not very familiar with the trail, which led to this tragic accident.
Rescued 30 hours after the accident
After locating the injured hiker, rescuers waited with him for the police and 120 ambulance to arrive. Due to the severity of his injuries, the rescue team could only move him slowly. After a four-hour journey, the injured hiker was finally rescued from the trapped valley around 11 p.m. the previous night. Seeing their family member safe, the injured hiker’s family breathed a sigh of relief. He was then taken to the hospital for treatment.
His companion was confirmed dead by emergency personnel. The rugged mountain path made the journey difficult, and at 1 a.m. yesterday, the deceased’s body was carried out of the valley. The rescuers were soaked through. The family, who had been waiting for a long time, burst into tears on the spot, overwhelmed with grief. By this time, 30 hours had passed since the accident occurred.
Rescuers remind the public that this serious outdoor sports accident serves as another warning to hikers: try to avoid unfamiliar mountainous areas, and when planning a hiking trip, always consider time factors, descend early, and avoid traveling at night.
Chief Reporter Wang Bin
Intern Zhang Junya