TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A professor who went missing in the mountains of Pingtung County during Typhoon Gaemi and turned down assistance when he was found was rescued by helicopter Friday (Aug. 2).
The unnamed archaeologist from National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan City was doing research near the Indigenous village of Jiuhaocha when the storm struck a week ago, per CNA. After he had gone missing for four days, his relatives alerted the authorities, resulting in a helicopter rescue mission.
The following morning, on July 28, the helicopter located the professor and his three-member team. However, since they wanted to continue their research work and had no way of taking their equipment with them on board the helicopter, they turned down the rescue offer.
On Thursday (Aug. 1), the professor contacted Pingtung Fire Department to ask the helicopter to pick him up, as he felt unwell with the flu and had no medicine. The road down the mountain was blocked by floods, so there was no possibility of reaching a hospital over land.
A helicopter transported him out of the area during a 12-minute flight Friday morning, but his three team members stayed behind. The professor said he felt weak, and was transported by ambulance to the Pingtung Christian Hospital in Pingtung City.
