TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 52-year-old man collapsed and died while hiking solo on the Chiaming Lake Trail in Taitung County on the first day of the Lunar New Year (Feb. 10).

The man, surnamed Chen (陳), was discovered by a group of hikers at the 9.5-kilometer mark of the trail in the early afternoon on Saturday. The group immediately called for rescue personnel, while one, who is a registered nurse, attempted to resuscitate Chen using CPR, reported UDN.



A rescue helicopter was unable to land due to poor visibility. A team was also dispatched by the Taitung County Fire Department’s Mountain task force to rescue Chen, but by the time they arrived, he had already passed away, per LTN.



The rescuers hiked in temperatures as low as minus 2 C to reach Chen. The responders camped overnight at a lodge on the trail and carried Chen’s body to a more accessible location on Sunday morning (Feb. 11).

At around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, rescuers were able to hoist Chen’s body onto a helicopter to be evacuated.

The Taitung County Fire Department issued a statement urging those hiking during the Lunar New Year holiday to be aware of weather conditions and take proper precautions. It is not advised for hikers to take solo treks.