TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 66-year-old Taoyuan City man was found dead following a four-day search after falling in a mountainous area of Sanxia, while his dog Blackie (黑皮) loyally guarded him on Wednesday (March 27).

When rescuers finally found the lifeless body of the man surnamed Chen (陳) Blackie barked and snarled, protecting his owner’s body. Rescuers had to contact family members of the deceased hiker to pacify Blackie and allow for the body to be transported down the mountain.

Chen had set off from his Taoyuan home on Saturday (March 23), taking Blackie with him in a car as they traveled to Sanxia’s Jiajiuling Mountain. He did not return that night, leading family members to be concerned. They went to a police station the following day to file a missing person report, per SETN.

New Taipei City Fire Department mobilized 200 personnel and volunteers to scour the mountainside. After four days and three nights they spotted his body.

They also found that Blackie had been patiently guarding him. A Chen family member eventually calmed the dog.

A preliminary investigation indicated that Chen had slipped and fallen more than 10 meters into a valley. His serious injuries may have been fatal or otherwise prevented him from escaping his predicament.

There was no sign of foul play at the scene, and family members accepted police findings as his body was then sent to a funeral home for the time being.