Vietnam police rescue British tourist getting lost in national park
Sunday, April 21, 2024, 14:13 GMT+7
Vietnamese police on Saturday morning rescued a British youngster who had been lost for over eight hours in the Hoang Lien National Park, which is home to Fansipan Mountain, the tallest peak in Indochina, spanning the provinces of Lai Chau and Lao Cai in northern Vietnam, local authorities said.
Henwood Joseph Thomas, 18, embarked on his solo exploration in the park around 8:00 am on Friday, and became lost late in the evening of the same day, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Tien Khang, deputy head of the fire prevention and fighting and rescue police division under the Lai Chau Province public security department, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.
Lieutenant Colonel Khang recounted that at 11:30 pm that day, Lai Chau police received a distress call from Thomas, seeking assistance.
Utilizing the global positioning system (GPS), they determined that the young man was stranded in an area with challenging terrain straddling the border between the two provinces.
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| Henwood Joseph Thomas (L, 3rd, right row), is seen among Vietnamese rescuers on April 20, 2024 after he was taken out of the Hoang Lien National Park, where he had got lost for about eight hours. Photo: Lai Chau public security department |
Police officers promptly collaborated with their counterparts in Lao Cai and the park's management to mobilize their combined efforts in the search for the missing foreigner.
The official noted that a specialized rescue team consisting of 20 members, accompanied by 32 police officers and medics, was divided into several groups for the rescue operation, which commenced amid rainfall.
Around 8:00 am on Saturday, Thomas was discovered in a state of exhaustion and with minor injuries on the periphery of a forest in the O Quy Ho Pass area, situated within the national park, in Tam Duong District of Lai Chau.
Rescuers provided him with beverages and food, along with initial medical attention, before transporting him to his hotel in Sa Pa, a tourist destination in adjacent Lao Cai Province, where he received further medical care.
Thomas quickly recovered and expressed his gratitude by embracing the police officers who had assisted him, according to Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon).
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| Henwood Joseph Thomas (L, 3rd), is seen showing his thank-you letter when posing for a photo with Vietnamese rescuers on April 20, 2024 after he was saved from getting lost in the Hoang Lien National Park, located in Lai Chau and Lao Cai Provinces, northern Vietnam. Photo: Lai Chau public security department |
He mentioned it was his inaugural visit to Vietnam, emphasizing how the prompt rescue by the Vietnamese police during his time of distress left a profound impression and lasting memory.
Later, he penned a heartfelt thank-you letter to convey his appreciation to everyone involved in the search, rescue, and care provided to him.
In the letter, he said when he got lost, it was dark and he was really scared while trying to contact local police for help.
“I was thoroughly guided by police officers and they sent forces to help search for me,” Sai Gon Giai Phong cited Thomas as writing in his letter.
He said he would like to offer his sincerest gratitude to the police officers of Lai Chau and Lao Cai and others “who spent the whole night” searching for him.
“Thank you to everyone involved for your dedication!” Thomas concluded his letter.
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