Overview
- A 39-year-old tourist slipped off a cliff while trekking in Hainan and was swept into the Qiongzhou Strait, where strong currents carried him offshore for six nights and seven days.
- During the ordeal he survived by catching and eating dozens of small raw crabs, drinking seawater, and using his own urine for warmth, and he reported hallucinations and extreme fatigue.
- Local fishermen Zheng Shizhong and Fu Tingsan spotted and hauled him aboard about 10 kilometres from shore on June 2, when he was found naked, unresponsive, and near death.
- Doctors at Chengmai County People's Hospital treated him for severe sunburn, dehydration, infected wounds and internal effects from seawater and raw seafood, and say he has lost substantial weight but is now stable.
- The case highlights the Qiongzhou Strait’s strong currents and the high health risks of improvised survival tactics, and officials and rescuers may face renewed focus on safety for hikers and coastal patrols in the region.