He was trekking the Noukou-Haron (能高-哈崙) ridge-line alone, when he fell and broken his right hip and left leg.
He managed to survive for 2 weeks, then decided he must climb to a higher spot with cell reception, so he crawled up 300 meters with both legs broken, made a call, but that’s still not the end of his ordeal.
The rescue team still have to search for him in one of the most difficult terrains, and the weather was also terrible. This dude had to survive on his own for another 21 days before his rescuers arrive. He ran out of food 8 days before he was discovered, so he managed to survive for 8 days without food with both legs broken. He was stranded for a total of 35 days.
I’ve written 3 articles on this story: Let’s get some facts straight.
Lee departed May 13 and expected to reach Hualian 15 days later - May 28
His last contact with family was May 15
He fell and fractured his left lower leg and right thigh on May 20. He also has a spinal injury.
He climbed the ridge to get out of forest cover and avoid rising water. I don’t think he was trying to get a phone signal, but I might be wrong. From reports I’ve read I got the feeling he was surprised to find the phone signal.
The phone battery had lasted 31 days!
He made the call June 14. A helicopter was dispatched but failed to locate him due to weather conditions. Then the Meiyu front set in preventing further attempts by air.
A ground party departed May 15. They took 5 days to reach him. They made contact at 9:17am yesterday. He was airlifted out at 1:55pm.
Back in my day, we had to hike over the central mountains barefoot, in the snow, uphill both ways every day just to get to work in the factory where you paid the boss for the privilege to work.
How does it work tho - his mother reported his disappearance to police on 4th but they did nothing for 10 days until on 14th he actually called by himself?
