TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After an eight-day search in freezing weather, search and rescue personnel led by the Kaohsiung Fire Department located the bodies of missing hikers on a slope near a southern peak of Yushan at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday (March 12).

The two individuals were confirmed to be Chang Chung-yi (張忠益) and his wife Wang Ming-li (王明麗). To recover the bodies, more than a dozen people rappelled into a valley, working for five hours to bring the deceased to a hiking trail where they could be brought down the mountain, per UDN.

Chang was the leader of the Fengchia University EMBA Mountain Climbing Club. His planned itinerary with his wife involved climbing Yushan’s four rear peaks.

The couple planned to carry out this mission from nearby Yuanfeng Cabin, which they reached on March 2. Poor weather affected their expedition, as the couple lost contact with friends and family the following day.

After failing to descend the mountain on Monday (March 4), family members notified the Yushan Management Office on Tuesday (March 5). The following day, rescuers began scouring the mountainous area for the two hikers.

Bodies of missing hikers airlifted off the mountain. (CNA photo)

The couple had left their sleeping bags, large backpacks, and cooking utensils in the cabin. Rescuers suspected they may have become disoriented due to snow, ice, strong winds, or thick fog.

Rescuers uncovered another clue, a trekking pole spotted at Sancha Peak belonging to Chang’s wife. A more intense search led them to discover the couple hundreds of meters away at the bottom of a steep gravel slope.

Arrangements were made to airlift the bodies off the mountain.