Two elderly individuals, lost for over 35 hours in the mountains of Beijing, China, significantly prolonged their rescue by remaining silent despite hearing search teams call their names. This decision was driven by a local superstitious custom warning against responding to calls in the mountains, for fear of being led astray by "guiding spirits".

The incident began around 21:00 on 29/7, when the Huairou District Fire and Rescue Bureau in Beijing received a report of two missing persons in Liulimiao Town. The missing individuals were a 73-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman, both neighbors, who had ventured into the mountains at 5:30 that morning to forage for medicinal herbs. They carried no phone, food, or water.

Personnel from two fire stations were dispatched to the scene, coordinating with local police and villagers, and began the search at 23:10. Challenging terrain and darkness hindered rescue efforts, making the operation difficult.

The Huairou District rescue team found the two lost individuals in the forest on the afternoon of 30/7, after 17 hours of searching. Photo: Huairou District Fire and Rescue Bureau

By 16:48 on 30/7, after nearly 18 hours of trekking through the forest, the rescue team finally reached the victims. Both were exhausted after more than 35 hours without food or water but sustained no injuries. Officials provided them with food and safely brought them down the mountain at 19:16.

"We heard you calling but did not dare to speak up", the two told the rescue team. They explained that the local area has a superstitious custom of refraining from answering or complaining of hunger or thirst when their names are called in the mountains, for fear of being led astray by "guiding spirits". Consequently, they remained silent, fumbling their way towards the sound and inadvertently walked in the opposite direction of the search team. This behavior significantly prolonged the rescue operation.

A representative from the Huairou fire department stated that elderly individuals should not venture into forests alone. The department also advised residents to disregard superstitious customs and bravely call for help when facing an accident, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing safety over unfounded beliefs.

Minh Phuong (Source: Guangming Daily, Worldjournal)