A teenager who embarked upon a solo trip in China's Shaanxi province but later went missing in the freezing conditions, managed to survive for 10 days by eating toothpaste, a report in South China Morning Post has claimed. 18-year-old Sun Liang started his trek on February 8, venturing into Qinling, a mountain range, known for its average altitude of around 2,500 metres.
Two days into the hike, he lost contact with his family as his electronic devices ran out of battery. Isolated and having no means to contact the outside world, Sun started walking downstream along a creek where he fell down several times, resulting in a fracture in his right arm.
Facing harrowing food shortage, Sun managed to survive on river water, melted snow and even toothpaste. To protect himself from the frigid winds, he took shelter behind a large rock and constructed a makeshift bed using dry straw and leaves.
After the family approached a local search and rescue team, an operation was launched. On February 17, while setting up a fire, Sun caught a whiff of the smoke and yelled for help, successfully capturing the attention of his rescuers.
"I feel terrified after the incident. This area is not suitable for hiking at all. The wind was so strong that I could barely maintain my footing, even with two alpenstocks for support. The snow was so heavy that I could hardly open my eyes," said Sun, following his rescue.
"In short, navigating this line is exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, there are no picturesque views. The weather changes abruptly."
He also warned other hikers who were planning to embark upon the Ao-Tai Line to not go as "life is invaluable.
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Notably, the rescue operation, involving over 30 members, cost Sun's family over Rs 9.5 lakh (80,000 yuan).
"We implement a fee to deter potential hikers. We also want to remind the public that hiking along this route could expose them to encounters with dangerous wildlife, including bears, antelopes, and wild boars. Some of our rescuers sustained injuries during this operation," said a member of the rescue team.
Over the past two decades, more than 50 hikers have been reported missing or have perished along this treacherous trail.
