Female hiker injured in fall during Nenggao Antongjun traverse, calls for rescue

Taiwan's high mountain traverse routes have long been world-renowned for their magnificent natural landscapes and rich ecosystems; however, these scenic beauties are often accompanied by severe terrain challenges and potential risks. Recently, a climbing team encountered a mountain accident while undertaking the famous Nenggao-Antongjun traverse. A female team member accidentally fell down a slope while passing through a specific section, resulting in a head impact and a brief loss of consciousness. It was subsequently discovered that she had suffered a severe sprain to her right foot and was completely unable to bear weight or walk. Faced with the sudden mountain accident, her fellow team members demonstrated composure and adaptability. They promptly settled the injured person near the first confluence of the Wanda South River to await rescue, and called for help using satellite phones or mobile signals, thereby activating a cross-agency emergency rescue mechanism.

The Nenggao-Antongjun route is one of the classic, most difficult high mountain traverse routes in Taiwan, spanning Nantou County and Hualien County. Along the way, it passes through several mountains over 3,000 meters in altitude—such as Mount Nenggao, South Peak of Mount Nenggao, Mount Guantang, Mount Baishi, and Mount Antongjun—as well as multiple picturesque alpine lakes, including Taiwan Pond, Baishi Pond, and Wanli Pond. The challenges of this route stem not only from the lengthy walking distances and significant elevation changes, but also from the variable terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions. Many sections run adjacent to steep crumbling walls and cliffs; a slight moment of carelessness, or a decline in physical strength and concentration caused by a long trek, can easily lead to the danger of misstepping or slipping. The complex terrain in the area where this accident occurred, coupled with intermittent mountain communications, posed tremendous challenges to the planning and execution of the search and rescue mission.

Upon receiving the report, the command center of the relevant agencies immediately initiated lateral communications to evaluate the terrain, weather, and the exact injuries of the casualty. Given that the injured person had suffered a head impact accompanied by changes in consciousness, along with a severe right foot sprain making her unable to hike down on her own, relying solely on ground forces for a traditional carry-out rescue would not only have been too slow, but could also have caused secondary injuries due to prolonged jolting. Therefore, the rescue assessment team quickly reached a decision to request aerial rescue support in order to secure the most precious golden hour for medical treatment. After receiving the mission assignment, the Airborne Service Corps immediately completed pre-flight preparations, reviewing the day's mountain weather conditions and flight route safety, thereby demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and efficiency.

After the Central Weather Administration and air traffic control units confirmed that the weather permitted, a Black Hawk helicopter of the Airborne Service Corps took off from its base and headed toward the target coordinates in the Nantou mountains. Executing rescue missions in mountainous areas has always been a major challenge for pilots. In addition to high-altitude thin air affecting the helicopter's power, strong gusts in mountain valleys, changing clouds and mist, and narrow landing or hoisting spaces all require flight crews to possess extensive experience and exquisite skills. Once the helicopter arrived above the first confluence of the Wanda South River, the crew quickly pinpointed the location of the party awaiting rescue through airspace reconnaissance. Subsequently, the search and rescue personnel demonstrated precise hoisting techniques to smoothly pull the injured woman into the cabin, while providing necessary medical treatment and vital signs monitoring in the air to ensure her condition remained stable.

The helicopter then transported the injured person to safely land at a flatland airport, where a fire department ambulance waiting on standby immediately took over, transferring the woman to a nearby medical institution for comprehensive examinations and follow-up treatment. This incident once again highlights the overall efficacy of Taiwan's mountain activities, spanning from independent reporting and ground standby to aerial rescue. In recent years, with the popularization of outdoor activities, a growing number of people have been heading into the mountains and forests, and the subsequent mountain accidents have also shown an increasing trend. Relevant authorities continuously urge mountaineers to ensure adequate physical training and route planning before departure, and to prepare appropriate communication and protective equipment to reduce the probability of accidents and safeguard the safety of themselves and their companions in critical moments.