Outdoor activity trend drives higher accident rate

More Chinese are taking part in dangerous sports, but a lack of experience and low skill levels are causing problems for search and rescue teams. Zhang Yi reports.

As more Chinese pursue an outdoor lifestyle, authorities are warning that the wilderness experience can cause injury or death as a result of animal attacks, a lack of experience or poor mental strength when people encounter difficulties or extreme weather.

On June 10, rescue workers in the Qinling Mountains in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, located a missing hiker, surnamed Wang, after a search lasting more than 30 hours. When he was found, Wang was semiconscious, his face was covered with blood and his right eyelid had been ripped off, exposing the eyeball.

Wang had been attacked by a black bear after venturing into the wilds alone. A blow from the bear's paw caused him to roll into a fault below the bear's lair, and while he sustained several fractures, he was spared more attacks.

The scene was not unusual, according to Yang Junli, a member of the Qinling rescue team.

"More and more people are calling for assistance. In the past four years, we have rescued more than 300 hikers and climbers," the 50-year-old said.

According to a report by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, 350 accidents related to outdoor activities were recorded last year, a rise of 20 percent from 2017. They included 40 deaths and 115 injuries, while four people who were reported missing were never found.