Tragic Mountain Rescue: Body of Hiker Recovered in Taiwan After Fatal Climb

Search and Rescue Operation Successfully Recovers Hiker's Body After Difficult Conditions on Chilai East Ridge

Taipei, Taiwan - In a somber but ultimately successful operation, search and rescue teams have recovered the body of a hiker who perished on Chilai East Ridge, a challenging mountain range in Taiwan. The recovery took place four days after the hiker's body was discovered.

The deceased hiker, identified as a man surnamed Lee, was found buried under approximately 20 centimeters of snow. The challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions significantly hampered the initial search and rescue efforts. These conditions included significant snowfall, icy roads, and frozen vegetation, making traversal extremely difficult and dangerous for the search teams.

The rescue operation involved a coordinated effort between the fire department and the National Airborne Service Corps (NASC). A helicopter was dispatched with eight search and rescue personnel who then walked to the location of the deceased hiker. Despite the difficult conditions, the recovery mission was completed without further incident, and all team members returned safely from the mountains.

The hiker was part of a group of 17 individuals who began their climb on Saturday. Bad weather struck on Sunday, causing Lee to fall behind the group. While most of the group proceeded to a nearby cabin for shelter, one member initially stayed with Lee.

Eventually, the remaining member also sought shelter at the cabin, leaving Lee with provisions. When contact could not be established with Lee the following day, the team returned to find Lee's body. A distress call was subsequently issued.

Due to inclement weather, the 16 remaining mountaineers were unable to descend the mountain and were eventually rescued by the NASC after several days. They did not require hospitalization.