Two university students went missing after climbing the Qinling Mountains in Ningshan County, Ankang, Shaanxi on September 8. One of them managed to exit the mountain on their own on the afternoon of the 14th, and was found by the search and rescue team in the early hours of the 15th. He was later hospitalized but is not in life-threatening condition. Sadly, the other student fell off a cliff and lost his life, at only 23 years old.
According to reports from Red Star News, the two men entered Qinling Mountains from the Niujuangou entrance in Ningshan County around 7:56 am on September 8. After they lost contact, several local rescue teams were dispatched to search the area, and the families of the two students also arrived on the scene. By September 15, one of the men surnamed Xu was located and received medical treatment.
On September 17, the media learned from the Ningshan County Emergency Management Bureau that the body of the other student surnamed Zhang was discovered at the edge of a cliff, over a hundred meters above the ground.
The personnel from the Ningshan County Emergency Management Bureau mentioned that Xu is being treated without any life-threatening injuries, while the deceased Zhang, a 23-year-old from Henan, was found at a challenging location near the cliff’s edge. The difficult terrain made the rescue operation complex, and many people from the town were deployed to assist. After a day of rescue efforts, the body was finally brought down from the mountain at 10 pm.
Viral videos online show rescue personnel in their uniforms braving the rain in the mountains during the search operation.
Rescue workers noted that there has been recent rain in the mountains, causing poor weather conditions and visibility. Both the rescue teams and outdoor enthusiasts have been voluntarily participating in the search efforts, exploring hundreds of routes, with nearly a thousand people involved.
In a report by Xiaoxiang Morning News on September 13, it was revealed by officials from the Guanghuojie Town government that the two students were from Shandong, visiting for tourism, and their parents have rushed to the scene.
Information shared online describes the two missing university students, one wearing a white backpack, white shoes, a cap with goggles, and a white jersey, while the other has long hair, wears black clothing, carries a white backpack, and sports glasses, with both having hiking sticks.
Public data shows that Lujiao Liang is located in the deep Qinling Mountains, southwest of the watershed, at an altitude of 2700 meters. It is a section of the mountain in the west of Niubeiliang Conservation Area, named after its resemblance to deer horns. It also serves as the boundary between Chang’an District and Ningshan County, and is the source of Gaoguan River.
This incident has sparked widespread attention on the internet.
Netizens commented, “It’s my hometown, even the locals who gather herbs and hunt don’t dare to take this route, let alone ordinary people.” “The Qinling Mountains, the dividing line between north and south China, should not be underestimated for its vastness. In winter, the north side is snow-covered while the south is lush with trees, portraying its grandeur.” “Undeveloped deep mountains can easily lead to getting lost due to lack of orientation.”
“We often think we can conquer everything, but in front of nature, we are all tiny! Cherish life!” “Humans should have a sense of awe towards nature and never take risks.” “Humans are like ants in front of nature, we can only make use of it, not challenge or alter it.”