Campers in Yushan National Park who pitched their tents on a helipad reserved for the National Airborne Service Corps would be fined NT$3,000, the park’s administration office said on Wednesday, adding that their actions forced corps members to jump out of their aircraft as they conducted a search-and-rescue operation.
After a report that a female climber had fallen into a ravine near the Malobasi Traverse (馬博拉斯橫斷), the Nantou Fire Department called the corps to dispatch a search-and-rescue team.
However, when their helicopter arrived near the site, the team found that campers had pitched two tents on the Guangao Helipad in the park’s Batongguan (八通關) area, the corps said.
As the pilot decided that landing on the partly blocked pad would be too dangerous, the team members jumped from the helicopter as it hovered about 1m above the ground, the corps said.
One member said that strong winds generated by the helicopter might have sent the camping gear flying, which would have further endangered the crew.
Just as people may not block access to a fire station with their parked vehicle, people may not camp on or near a helipad, the member said.
The recklessness of the campers not only endangered the lives of the team, but also added extra difficulty to the search-and-rescue effort, they said.
There are designated camping areas nearby, which the campers involved in the incident must have known, as there are signposts that would have guided them there, the office said.
There are also notices that campers cannot pitch their tents on the helipad, it said.
The office is trying to determine the campers’ identity, it said, adding that they would be fined the maximum amount of NT$3,000.
It would also step up efforts to inform campers that pitching tents outside designated areas is prohibited, the office said.
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