Chinese Earthquake Missing Person Dramatically Rescued After 17 Days: "Survived by Eating Fruit"

On the 5th, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake caused 93 deaths and 25 missing
Surviving in the dropping temperatures is close to a miracle

On the 6th (local time), rescuers in Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, are helping residents evacuate across a temporary bridge. A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Luding County, China, on the 5th, resulting in 93 deaths and 25 people missing, including Mr. Ganwei. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A man who went missing during the strong earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, was dramatically rescued after 17 days.

According to Jumu Newspaper and China Central (CC) TV on the 21st, a resident of Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, found the missing power plant employee, Mr. Gan Wei, near the Luding Wandong Hydropower Plant that morning.

He went missing after the earthquake on the 5th when he got separated from his colleague while waiting for rescue together. Although rescue teams deployed helicopters and drones for the search, they failed to find him due to bad weather and rugged terrain.

At around 9 a.m. that day, while searching for the missing person mainly with villagers familiar with the terrain, a resident heard a call for help and found Mr. Gan Wei lying there.

At the time of discovery, he was covered in wounds all over his body but was conscious and in good health. Photos taken by residents showed his gaunt appearance with a thick beard.

He said, "After the earthquake, I took refuge in the mountains and lost contact with the outside. My eyesight is poor, and I even lost my glasses, so I couldn’t descend. I waited for rescue while eating water and wild fruits."

This was possible because the earthquake occurred in a mountainous area with abundant wild fruits and water. Mr. Gan Wei was transported to a nearby hospital by a rescue helicopter dispatched after the report.

Netizens described surviving under continuous aftershocks and dropping nighttime temperatures as a miracle.

Meanwhile, the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that occurred in Luding County, China, on the 5th resulted in 93 deaths and 25 missing people, including Mr. Gan Wei. The earthquake and subsequent landslides caused 249 buildings to collapse and damaged 13,500 houses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.