On October 19, four middle school students at Shuangshan Island in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, entered the riverside area by crossing a wave barrier wall at Shuangshan Xiangshan Tourist Resort, and got trapped due to rising tides, resulting in one casualty and one missing.
The Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Xiangshan Tourist Resort in Jiangsu Province reported on October 21 that at around 2:35 p.m. on October 19, they received a distress signal that four middle school students crossed the wave barrier wall at Shuangshan Island and entered the riverside area, getting stranded due to the rising tide. Local departments initiated a search and rescue operation, with two individuals being rescued. One was found on the morning of October 21 with no signs of life, and the other remained missing. Given the high tides in the Yangtze River, the search and rescue efforts are challenging, and the missing person has not been located yet.
According to Yangzi Evening News, a staff member on Shuangshan Island mentioned, “I heard from colleagues that the accident happened on the west side of the reed garden on Shuangshan Island, which is quite far from the shore and piled with many stones. I don’t know how the students managed to reach that area.”
A video circulating online allegedly showed a student who had managed to escape and called 119 for help when the tide rose. While waiting for the fire rescue team, the student jumped into the river to save a companion out of concern for their safety. The companion was successfully rescued, but the student who jumped into the river remained trapped.
The journalist from the media outlet attempted to contact the online user who posted the video but did not receive a response. A spokesperson from the Zhangjiagang City Fire Rescue Bureau informed the journalist, “The specific circumstances are under investigation, and further information is needed at this time.”
Public records indicate that the Shuangshan Xiangshan Tourist Resort comprises two areas: Shuangshan Island and Xiangshan Scenic Area. Shuangshan Island covers an area of approximately 20 square kilometers (16 square kilometers within the island embankment and around four square kilometers in the estuarine wetland outside the embankment), with a coastline of 16.8 kilometers. It used to be an independent town in Zhangjiagang.
The Xiangshan Scenic Area covers an area of around 6.69 square kilometers, with a mountainous area of about two square kilometers and an elevation of 136.6 meters (the highest point in Zhangjiagang). It is relatively well-known in the Yangtze River Delta region.