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Stranded student refuses help, again

The National Taiwan Normal University graduate student studying deer in the vicinity of Chilai Mountain has changed his mind again, deciding not to leave the mountain as authorities have urged.

A Chinese-language newspaper reported that Kuo Cheng-yen (郭正彥) called the National Police Administration's mobile police service yesterday, saying that he did not need to be rescued and would come down from the mountains on Jan. 16 as originally scheduled.

Kuo said that even if he were to be dismissed by his university because of his refusal to leave the mountains, he still wanted to stay to complete his research.

A helicopter was dispatched to rescue Kuo yesterday morning, but due to heavy cloud the rescue attempt had to be postponed, the Central News Agency said.

Concerned about Kuo's safety because of an approaching cold front, Taroko National Park director Huang Wen-ching (黃文卿) and Kuo's research supervisor, Wang Ying (王穎), went to Chiayi air base yesterday to better understand the circumstances of Kuo's attempted rescue.

Huang said that because the snow in the mountains may be as deep as 160cm in some areas, it would take three days for Kuo to return from the area by foot, three times the normal time required.

Disaster rescue regulations state that any person who elects to remain in an area declared a disaster zone or an unsafe zone must pay all costs incurred in that person's rescue.

An Taroko National Park official yesterday said that park officials simply wanted Kuo to leave in the interests of his safety.

But because Kuo had followed approved procedures entering the mountains, the official said, it was up to him to decide when he wanted to leave.

But according to park regulations, Kuo could be fined NT$1,000 each day he refuses to leave.

On Friday, Kuo's two fellow students were picked up by a military rescue team after being trapped in the mountains for four days.

Kuo, however, decided to stay on.

Kuo's persistence in staying in a remote mountainous area has stirred up a controversy, with experienced mountain climbers saying the uproar has resulted from the inefficiency of Taroko National Park officials.
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