Phan Tran Ta, 58, residing in Hamlet 2, Viet Tan 2 village, Bac Quang commune, entered the forest to search for medicinal plants around 7 a.m. on 8/5 and subsequently lost contact with his family.

Since yesterday, upon receiving the missing person report, the Bac Quang Communal People's Committee (CPPC) established a search and rescue command team. This team is directly led by a vice chairman of the commune, according to Tran Minh Huu, the commune's Chairman.

Search forces, comprising police, fire and rescue police, military personnel, militia, and local residents, have divided into multiple groups to scour trails, streams, and deep forest areas.

Search teams organize the search for the missing person in Bac Quang. Photo: Minh Huu

The area where Mr. Ta went missing is identified as sub-zone 285, within a protected forest spanning Viet Tan 2 and Thuong My villages in Bac Quang commune. The terrain is steep, featuring numerous streams, natural forest interspersed with regenerated forest, dense vegetation, large trees, and tangled vines, making the search challenging.

The protected forest where Mr. Ta disappeared often experiences dense fog in the early morning. It features many steep cliffs and narrow paths created by locals. This area is also commonly used by residents to find medicinal plants, harvest secondary forest products, and graze livestock.

Gia Chinh