news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

On August 22, a Chongqing netizen claimed that his younger brother lost contact while hiking in Yulong Snow Mountain, Lijiang, Yunnan on August 17, which attracted the attention of netizens. On August 26, the family of the missing hiker confirmed to Upstream News that his younger brother had been confirmed dead. The relevant person in charge of the local rescue team said that the body was found by drone in the afternoon of the 25th. The location was extremely difficult for rescue personnel to reach, and they are currently evaluating how to proceed with the next rescue operation.

The family of the missing hiker said that the hiker was 27 years old and took the Snow Lotus Peak route of Yulong Snow Mountain on the 17th. The weather was bad that day, with hail and fog on the mountain. At an altitude of about 4,400 meters, the hiker said he wanted to take a shortcut and asked his companions to retreat along the original route and wait at the pass below, but his companions never waited for him.

Photos of the missing Chongqing hiker climbing a mountain. Photo provided by the interviewee

The family members said that the hiker had curly hair, was about 1.7 meters tall, weighed 130 kilograms, and was wearing an orange jacket and a pair of khaki hiking shoes. Afterwards, the family members called the police and rushed to the vicinity of Yulong Snow Mountain to wait for news.

On the 22nd, the missing hiker's sister Xiaoxin (pseudonym) posted a message online asking for help and looking for relevant clues. She also provided relevant photos and the location of the suspected last mobile phone signal, which was about 4,365 meters. This post quickly attracted the attention of netizens, but some netizens expressed doubts.

On the evening of the 25th, a local netizen in Lijiang posted a message saying that the missing hiker had been found by drone that afternoon and was confirmed dead, but the body was found halfway up a cliff at an altitude of about 4,300 meters, making rescue extremely difficult.

On the morning of the 26th, Xiao Xin told the Upstream News reporter: "There has been progress. (The person) is gone. It's just that the official has not announced it, but many enthusiastic netizens have announced it." Xiao Xin has now returned to Chongqing, but declined the reporter's follow-up interview. "(The person is gone) This is the result I don't want to see the most."

Mr. He, the person in charge of the tourist safety patrol team of Lijiang Yulong Snow Mountain Tourist Area, participated in the six-day search. He told the Upstream News reporter that the rescue was large-scale this time. Since the early morning of the 19th, local police, fire departments, and civilian rescue teams have been searching on the mountain, using mobile phone positioning, drones and other technical equipment, but there has been no progress. "Sixty to seventy people go into the mountain every day to search."

The backpack of the missing hiker. Photo provided by the interviewee

Upstream News reporters learned that the on-site search and rescue was difficult as there were many cliffs along the way and it was easy to slip and fall if one was not careful. In addition, the weather was bad in the past few days and hail and rain occurred during the search and rescue process, which brought certain difficulties to the rescue.

Mr. He confirmed that even for rescuers who are very familiar with the local terrain, it takes about 5 hours to hike to the search and rescue area, and about 10 hours to go back and forth. "I have been working for 6 consecutive days and I am a little tired. I went down the mountain to rest yesterday."

"Yesterday (25th) afternoon, it was almost dark, and when the search and rescue was almost over and they were about to withdraw, the (drone) pilot said to fly two more times. During the process, we saw this situation (the body was found). Halfway up the mountain, (the person) must be gone, and the rescue is very difficult."

Mr. He said that the rocks on Yulong Snow Mountain are all weathered rocks, which are very fragile and cannot be anchored. "People can't get down, and they can't climb up from the bottom. Currently, the Lijiang Blue Sky Rescue Team, Lijiang Yulong Blue Leopard Emergency Rescue Center and other departments are assessing the height of the cliff. Whether to launch a rescue immediately or find (professionals) with this rescue capability depends on the family's opinion in the future." Mr. He emphasized: "There are very few people with this rescue capability."

In recent years, some tourists are not satisfied with sightseeing in the Yulong Snow Mountain Scenic Area, and have entered the hinterland of Yulong Snow Mountain for hiking and exploration without authorization, and have been in danger for various reasons. Although the Yulong Snow Mountain Provincial Nature Reserve Management Bureau and other relevant departments have strengthened supervision and increased publicity efforts, tourists who enter the undeveloped and unopened areas of Yulong Snow Mountain without authorization still continue to do so.

In December 2023, four hikers ignored relevant regulations and entered the unopened area of ​​Yulong Snow Mountain Reserve, Yaoniuping, to hike at Xuelian Peak without authorization. Due to the cold weather and foggy mountains and forests, one of the team members got lost and lost contact. After searching, the team member was rescued in time. The Yulong Snow Mountain Reserve Management Bureau imposed administrative penalties on the four people in accordance with relevant regulations.

A reminder sign from the Yulong Snow Mountain Nature Reserve Management Bureau. Photo provided by the interviewee

According to Red Star News, as of June 24, this year, Lijiang Fire Rescue Department has received 12 reports of missing climbers, dispatched 30 vehicles and 178 people, and successfully rescued or evacuated 16 climbers. Three such incidents occurred on June 18, 19 and 21 alone.

The Yulong Snow Mountain Provincial Nature Reserve Management Bureau reminds: According to the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves" and the "Regulations of Yunnan Province on Nature Reserves", no one is allowed to enter the core area of ​​the nature reserve, and unauthorized entry will be punished in accordance with the law. Yulong Snow Mountain has complex topography, changeable climate, and wild animals. For the safety of your life and property and that of others, and to protect the ecological environment, please abide by the regulations and do not enter the core area, buffer zone, and unopened areas of the reserve.

Upstream News reporter Tang Hao and intern Wu Ruijie