Trekker saved after stranded for 47 days in the Himalayas
Print Edition
A TAIWAN trekker is recovering in hospital after rescuers found him and his dead girlfriend on a mountainside in Nepal, where they were stranded for 47 days, with only water and salt to survive on after food supplies ran out.
Liu Chen-chun, 18, died three days before the rescue team located the couple in northwest Nepal, but her boyfriend Liang Sheng-yueh, 20, managed to survive despite losing 30 kilos in weight during the ordeal.
A severely malnourished Liang is being treated in hospital in Kathmandu, after being airlifted from the remote region on April 26.
The pair had followed a river downstream in the hope of finding a village but became stuck when they reached the edge of a waterfall and were unable to climb back up.
They survived on potatoes and noodles until their food ran out, leaving them with little more than salt and water.
Doctors treating Liang said that as well as suffering from extreme weight loss, maggots had infested his right leg, but stated he was recovering and regaining strength.
The families of the trekkers alerted the authorities when the couple didn’t get in touch as scheduled on March 10.
Liang’s father travelled to Nepal after the pair went missing and chartered a helicopter to search for them.
Chou Chiang-chieh, a friend of the couple, said they were biking from India to Nepal on a “dream adventure.”
Fight for survival
“She (Lui) fought to survive in the Himalayas for so long and I am really sad she didn’t make it. It’s such a pity, she’s like a family to me,” said Chou.
Another high school friend posted a tribute to Liu, remembering her as a “happy child” always seeking a new adventure.
Corn Huang, who lived with Liu for a year during high school, commented on Facebook: “I believe you will also live well on the other side.”
The couple had been hiking at about 3,000 meters without a guide.
“Tour operators have been pushing for guides to be mandatory if trekkers go above a certain altitude to ensure their safety,” said Ang Tsering Sherpa, head of Nepal’s mountaineering association.
“Even popular routes can be tricky to navigate for new trekkers if there is snow or any other disturbances.”
In 2014, 40 people died in the popular Annapurna circuit during a snowstorm, with many blaming the high toll on the lack of information for solo trekkers.
About 30 percent of 100,000 trekkers who visit Nepal every year do so without a registered guide, according to the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal.
Association president Chandra Prasad Risal stated that accidents could be avoided if guides were used.
“We hope this serves as a wake-up call to authorities,” he said.
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