Found at 7:15 on 21/4, Nguyen Tuan Anh was still lucid enough to respond to the calls of the rescue team. The sound, emanating from a stream bank amidst the misty, deep forest, became the signal that helped search teams pinpoint his location.

The 19-year-old Dai Nam University student's journey to explore Tam Dao began on the morning of 19/4. Tuan Anh and a friend embarked on a self-guided mountain climb. At Doc Rit, the foot of the mountain in Vinh Ninh hamlet (Dao Tru commune, Phu Tho province), they encountered a larger group with a guide and decided to join them. They took a new route with complex terrain, primarily for experienced climbers, despite Tuan Anh having no prior climbing experience.

Thanh Loan, a member of the search team, found Tuan Anh. Photo: Thanh Loan

Around 6:00, the group set off. From the initial stages, the group of about ten people had to navigate a nearly vertical slope covered with damp, decaying leaves, making slips and falls likely. In some sections, they had to crouch low to weave through dense foliage that hung close to the ground; in others, they had to cling to roots and tree trunks to pull themselves up.

At several steep points, the lead climber had to lower ropes for those behind to follow. Many sections traversed along the side of a slope, with a dirt wall on one side and a deep abyss on the other, where a single misstep could lead to a fall.

After more than seven hours of continuous climbing, around 13:40 on 19/4, the group reached the summit of Tam Dao Bac, approximately 1,592 meters high. After resting and admiring the view for a few tens of minutes, the group began their descent at 14:00 to make it down before dark. However, the descent was even more difficult than the ascent due to the steep, slippery terrain, where one slight error could result in a fall.

Tired, with his shirt drenched in sweat and hair plastered to his forehead, Tuan Anh decided to separate from the group. The student simply thought, "this entire mountain only has one way down," so he sat down to rest, planning to descend later. As he continued, thick fog rolled in, rapidly reducing visibility, and the small trails became increasingly hard to distinguish.

Tuan Anh's mother cried upon finding her son. Photo: Thanh Loan

A few tens of minutes later, Tuan Anh realized he was lost. His phone had no signal. Without a GPS device or a map, he was surrounded only by dense forest and a maze of intertwined trails. After a moment of panic, he calmed down, deciding to follow a stream because "I thought if I followed the stream, I would reach the foot of the mountain."

The terrain along the stream was rougher than the trails. Many sections were slippery, steep, and blocked by forest trees. In some wet areas, his feet sank deep into the mud, forcing Tuan Anh to hold onto trees and cautiously feel his way to avoid slipping. He slipped many times, tearing his raincoat, soaking his clothes, and the cold seeped into his body. As night fell, the temperature dropped quickly, and thick fog made him even colder.

Realizing he could not continue in the dark, Tuan Anh found a rock crevice by the stream to shelter for the night. He huddled in the narrow space to keep warm, using a plastic bottle to collect stream water to drink. With only a few chocopie cakes left, he carefully rationed them to survive. When found, Tuan Anh still had four cakes, which he had planned to use over the next two days.

Despite being completely isolated in the forest, losing contact, lacking food, and enduring the cold for two nights, Tuan Anh stated he did not panic. "I was quite confident, thinking I would find my way down," he said. At night, he stopped to rest; during the day, he continued to follow the stream, consistently moving in one direction.

Meanwhile, around 18:00 on 19/4, when Tuan Anh did not return and could not be contacted, the group he was with reported it to local authorities. That same night, a rescue station was established at the foot of the mountain, and hundreds of people, including police, military, self-defense militia, forest rangers, and residents, were mobilized to join the search.

Eight search teams were formed. At the command center, forces used satellite maps to identify suspicious areas, divide sectors, and agree on a plan. Teams carried walkie-talkies, flashlights, medical equipment, provisions, and used thermal camera-equipped drones for wide-area scanning. The search efforts primarily focused on descending from an altitude of approximately 1,600 meters, following streams and trails.

Eight teams searched for Tuan Anh through the night. Photo: Dao Tru Commune

Thanh Loan, a member of a search team, said her group of eight people departed from Me Linh (Hanoi) at 0:00 on 20/4, traveling nearly 50 kilometers through the night to participate in the rescue. Upon arrival, they gathered at the command center, received their assignments, and immediately entered the forest that night.

Throughout the night of 20/4, search teams fanned out into the forest, moving and broadcasting calls for the missing student. At 7:15 on 21/4, as one search team was following a stream and broadcasting, Tuan Anh, who was also following the water, heard them and immediately responded. Thanks to this signal, rescue forces quickly located and reached him.

The student was found conscious but exhausted after more than 37 hours lost in the forest.

Vinh Phuc Provincial Police stated that the terrain of Dao Tru commune at the foot of the Tam Dao range is complex, with many streams and steep slopes, posing risks of slips, flash floods, landslides, or drowning, especially for inexperienced individuals.

Authorities advise residents not to enter dangerous areas without authorization, not to participate in spontaneous tours, and to be fully prepared with skills and equipment, adhering to safety regulations when engaging in outdoor activities.

Gia Chinh