TWO hikers were recently rescued after spending several hours trapped in a valley along the Niunaipai Coast in Xichong, Dapeng New Area. Rescuers spent about 12 hours locating the hikers and transporting them to a safe location, Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

The Niunaipai Coast, situated at the southernmost tip of the Dapeng Peninsula, is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Considered some of Shenzhen’s most treacherous coastline, the cliffs in this area are particularly difficult to scale without the aid of climbing equipment.

After receiving an emergency call from the hikers, the firefighting brigade of Dapeng New Area dispatched several firefighters equipped with ropes and other rescue equipment for the rescue operation.

“When we arrived at the bottom of the cliff where the hikers were reported missing, we found undeveloped mountain trails and steep cliffs, one of which had an incline of nearly 85 degrees with no footholds,” said Xiao Kai, one of the firefighters involved in the rescue.

Xiao said he and his fellow rescuers had to tread carefully on the loose stones along their path, often using weeds and vines for support while climbing the cliff. It took rescue teams four hours to reach the top of the cliff where the trapped hikers were believed to be located.

Once on top of the cliff, anchor points were established. Xiao and Lian Jiawei then rappelled down. Echoes in the valley made it challenging for them to pinpoint the hikers’ exact location. They searched for more than six hours before the hikers could hear their calls, at which point they were only 10 meters away. (Claudia Wei)