Rescue team search for 25 hikers who were trapped in the Diaoluoshan forest area of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in South China's Hainan Province on June 8, 2024. Photo: local authority in Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County in Hainan

 
On Saturday, 25 hikers were trapped in the Diaoluoshan forest area of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in South China's Hainan Province. As of Sunday morning, 24 of the trapped individuals had been successfully evacuated with two injured and one dead.

The local fire rescue brigade in Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County in the province received an emergency call reporting that 25 hikers were trapped near Maohui village in Shiling town, within the Diaoluoshan forest area of the park. 

After a night of intense search and rescue, as of 8:30 am on Sunday, 24 of the trapped individuals had been successfully transferred to the rescue command center. Two injured individuals were sent overnight to a local hospital for treatment. 

One 45-year-old woman who had fallen and had been critically injured was confirmed dead. She died from intracranial hemorrhage and internal organ bleeding caused by the fall.

This group was organized spontaneously through an online group and entered the Diaoluoshan forest area by foot from Diaoluoshan township in Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous county. 

They became trapped due to the complex terrain and poor communication signals. 

Among the surviving 24 people, 23 have returned to Haikou, the capital city of Hainan provinc , one person is being treated for a transverse lumbar process fracture at the county hospital, with stable vital signs. As of time of reporting, the on-site rescue operation has concluded.

Some netizens suggested on Chinese X-like platform Weibo that such unprofessional outdoor activities should be halted. "Please have some respect for nature," one netizen wrote. 

Hubei fire department also reminded on Weibo on Monday that when hiking and exploring the wilderness, be aware that survival conditions can be harsh. "Always pay attention to changes in the surrounding environment and your personal health condition while climbing. Do not take unnecessary risks and know your limits," it said in a post. 

Global Times