32-year-old man, 21-year-old woman die in separate mountaineering accidents

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/05/17
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 21-year-old college student surnamed Chien (簡) fell more than 60 meters into a ravine and died Saturday (May 16) on a two-day mountaineering trip to Mt. Bilu (畢祿山) in central Taiwan.

The Nantou County Government Fire Station received a report that Chien, a member of a National Taipei University mountaineering team consisting of 16 people, fell into a gully, which caused her to suffer grave injuries and rendered her unable to walk, CNA reported.

After her fall, the college student went into cardiac arrest. When a team of 30 rescuers arrived at the scene around 10 a.m. Saturday, attempts to resuscitate Chien failed; subsequently, they carried her body up the steep terrain to the trailhead.

According to the Taroko National Park Administration’s website, the 8-km 820 Forestry Road, which connects the Mt. Hehuan Tunnel with the trailhead of Mt. Bilu, is the main route for climbing the mountain. Mt. Bilu, with its summit situated at an altitude of 3,371 meters above sea level, is listed as one of the Taiwan 100 Mountains (百岳).    [FULL  STORY]