Bird-watchers enjoying an afternoon near Jioujioufong (九 九峰) in Nantou County on Thursday saved the life of Lin Ming-cheng (林茗程), who had been trapped in a ravine for three days after he lost control of his car as he attempted to avoid hitting a stray dog.
Lin said that he had finished a night shift at a bicycle gear-shift manufacturing plant in Taichung’s Dali District (大里) on Monday morning when he decided to go for a drive.
He spent the day at Jioujioufong near Nantou’s Ciangou Township (乾溝) and as he was leaving he lost control of his car trying to avoid a stray dog, Lin said.
The car plunged into a shallow ravine, between 50m and 60m deep and he could not get out. Lin lost his cellphone during the crash.
A rescue crew from Guosing Township (國姓) were dispatched after they received a call from bird-watchers who had found Lin while out identifying wild birds. After the rescuers extracted Lin from the wreckage he was sent to the Yumin Hospital in Caotun Township (草屯).
Lin was diagnosed with a burst spleen and some internal hemorrhaging. Doctors said that his life would have been in danger if there had been significant hemorrhaging.
He said he drank water from a nearby stream to keep hydrated, but attempts to walk out of the ravine came to naught due to his pain.
Lin said he avoided hypothermia by crawling into the car at night.
His family were grateful to learn of Lin’s rescue on Thursday as he had seemingly vanished for three days.
Lin’s sister and aunt extended their thanks to the bird-watchers who had called the incident in, as well as the police and firefighters who rescued him, adding that after Lin recovers from his injuries they would like to thank his rescuers in person.
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