Society

Three engineers rescued from China mountain blizzard

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-28 08:21

Engineers get into a helicopter with the help of the rescuers after several days being stranded by a blizzard in Tianshan Mountains area near Baicheng county of Aksu prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Oct 27, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

URUMQI - Three engineers were rescued Wednesday afternoon, six days after they were stranded by a blizzard in the mountains of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, rescuers said.

The engineers were in good health when rescuers found them in Tianshan Mountains at 1:20 pm, said Ili Ismail, an official with Xinjiang's regional government and head of its emergency rescue headquarters.

A military helicopter flew them to the nearest city, Yining, he said.

The three engineers from a research institute under the Ministry of Transport were doing a field survey in Baicheng, a remote county at the juncture of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and Aksu Prefecture.

They took shelter in a deserted shed last Thursday, when a blizzard hit blanketing the region with 1.5 meters of fresh snow. For nearly a week, the three could not go anywhere as the snow had blocked all the roads.

Two rescue teams were sent on Friday and Monday, but to no avail.

The helicopter was sent Wednesday morning.

 

A helicopter prepare to take off after rescuing three engineers stranded by a blizzard in Tianshan Mountains area near Baicheng county of Aksu prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Oct 27, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]