TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The body of Taoyuan City Government employee Lee Ming-hao (李銘豪), who perished during a solo climb up Zhongyangjianshan in central Taiwan on Dec. 12, was successfully airlifted off the mountain on Sunday (Jan. 2).
The Taichung Fire Bureau told CNA Sunday that with the help of drone aerial photography, the bureau’s search and rescue team had spotted Lee’s body at the middle section of a cliff on Dec. 24. However, due to treacherous terrain and bad weather, they were unable to get to the body and were told to return.
After that, cold, humid weather conditions and snowfall prevented the operation from continuing.
A National Airborne Service Corps helicopter was dispatched on New Year’s Eve to airlift Lee’s body, the bureau said. However, when it was hovering overhead, the pilot judged the site to be too narrow to execute the airlift and decided to turn back.
As the weather turned sunny on Sunday, a National Airborne Service Corps helicopter took off from its Taichung base for another attempt. The chopper arrived at 7:47 a.m. and successfully carried out its mission, according to CNA.
Lee’s remains were airlifted to the Fushoushan Farm heliport in Taichung’s Heping District and then transported to the Lishan Health Center.
Lee had planned on hiking on Dec. 11 and 12 and returning to Taoyuan by 9 p.m. on Dec. 12. His family reported him missing on Dec. 13.
(Taichung Fire Bureau photo)