A COLLEGE student from Guangzhou who went missing when hiking on Wutong Mountain in Shenzhen on July 20 is thought to be dead after local police found a body in a creek beneath a viaduct in Yantian District on Friday.

    The body has not been confirmed as Bi Minyi, 22, a student at South China University of Science and Technology, local Chinese-language media reported over the weekend.

    The municipal public security bureau announced on its official Weibo account that Yantian police discovered the body Friday morning and identification of the body is under way.

    Bi’s family and forensic officers arrived at the scene Saturday, but failed to identify the body because heavy rain has caused advanced decomposition.

    The cause of death is also uncertain, with forensic officers investigating. The police said the deceased may have fallen from a high point, but homicide has not been ruled out.

    Bi arrived in Shenzhen on July 19 and went hiking on Wutong Mountain alone the next day.

    The woman, without any hiking experience, called the police in the afternoon and said she lost her way on the mountain.

    It was the last time anyone heard from her, the reports said. After three days of searching the area, police located the unidentified body.

    Netizens expressed sorrow for Bi, with many hoping the body found by Yantian police is not the college woman.

    According to statistics from a volunteer rescue organization, 30 outdoor safety accidents took place in 2014 around Shenzhen with two deaths, seven major injuries and five minor injuries.

    The causes of death or injuries were mainly drowning, falling and food poisoning.

    Outdoor activity experts remind residents to be well prepared before going hiking. Basic knowledge of the landscape, route and weather is essential information. (Zhang Qian)