Outdoor sports rescue team set up in Urumqi

A rescue team was established on Friday in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, marking the first professional outdoor sport rescue force in the region.

The team, composed of nine professional outdoor athletes and 54 volunteers who qualified as professional mountaineers by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, will undertake rescue efforts in the region related to accidents during outdoor sports activities including mountaineering and hiking.

Affiliated to the Mountaineering Management Center of the regional Administration of Sport, members have been roughly divided into several groups-a regular group, a reserve group, a coaching group and an advisory group-that consist of experts in all aspects of outdoor sports. In addition to high-altitude areas, team members can participate in rescue operations in deserts, canyons and caves.

"All team members are eligible for outdoor rescue not only because they have certification issued by the association, but also because they are experienced climbers with an array of rescuing skills and have climbed many of the region's tallest mountains," said Cai Yunhui, head of the emergency department of the center.

Cai said the rescue team is standing by until they receive a report of a disaster or accident in the wild areas of the region. Once they receive such a report, they will immediately provide rescue services for those in danger.

Meanwhile, the team will also conduct routine training of relevant skills under the guidance of the advisory group and establish an information and technology exchange platform to popularize and promote knowledge of safety concerning outdoor sports.

"The establishment of the team and the platform will also improve safety awareness and mountaineering skills for outdoor enthusiasts, as well as reduce the occurrence of outdoor accidents," Cai said.

In recent years, Xinjiang has been a popular destination for outdoor sports enthusiasts because of its rich, exotic tourism resources.

Mountains of different elevations and splendid landscapes in the region such as Chogori-the second-highest mountain on Earth that is also considered to be one of the most dangerous for mountaineering-and the 7,500-meter-high Muztagh-Ata mountain are popular sites for climbing enthusiasts.

Last year, 10 hikers who aimed to climb mountains in the region during the Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday encountered avalanches and were trapped by a slide. After receiving an emergency call, the local fire brigade sent a rescue team and saved them.

"As more enthusiasts came to Xinjiang to visit its beautiful but dangerous mountains and forests, we found it was necessary to set up a rescue team to provide timely and professional rescue services in case there are any accidents," Cai said.