Diary records painstaking rescue efforts after air crash

Part 3: Race against time

When I arrived at the scene, I saw fragments of the airplane spread across the mountains like snowflakes. Several large machineries were compactly placed within limited space to expand the way for on-site search and rescue.

Epidemic prevention procedures were never neglected. We disinfected our hands before entering the mountains, and we wore protective helmets, masks, clothing, gloves, visors and overshoes.

Every inch of our exposed skin was covered and none of the gears can be taken off while on-site.

It was inconvenient to go to the toilet so we were given disposable paper diapers in advance, and I felt a little embarrassed when I put on adult diapers for the first time in my life.

The team leader divided the search and rescue area into grids, grouped us into smaller groups, and put us on rotation. I formed a professional rope climbing team with five others to tackle steep and difficult slopes.

We went through hills after hills looking for survivors, never giving up.

When night came, everyone took out their portable high-intensity light. Teammates cooperated with each other. The whole region was illuminated like the starry sky above.

The next day, the weather in Wuzhou suddenly turned cold. The logistics support team sent us thermal underwear, and we began searching and digging around the core area.

Combined with various physical evidences such as aircraft landing gear and emergency positioning launcher found in the early stage, experts comprehensively studied and judged the possible positions of the black boxes, gradually narrowing the search area.