A 27-year-old student from China was rescued from Japan’s tallest mountain, Mount Fuji, twice inside 4 days after he returned to search for a cellphone left behind the primary time.
The climber, who was not publicly identified, was first airlifted with altitude sickness near the height of Mount Fuji, which is currently closed to the general public, on Tuesday, April 22 after he made an emergency call, police said, adding that his climbing irons were also damaged.
On Saturday, April 26, the coed once more returned to the mountain’s Fujinomiya trail — about 3,000 metres above sea level — to search for his cellphone and other belongings left behind, Shizuoka prefectural police said.
One other climber found him there unable to maneuver after he apparently developed altitude sickness for a second time, in accordance with police.
“He was suspected of getting altitude sickness and was taken to hospital,” a police spokesman told Agence France-Presse on Monday.
It’s unclear whether he was in a position to find his cellphone and other belongings.
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The mountain’s mountain climbing trails are only open from July to early September, but there isn’t a penalty for mountain climbing off-season. There may be also no charge or penalty when a climber must be rescued.
Following the person’s rescue, the Shizuoka police urged all climbers to make use of caution, noting that the mountain has low temperatures and is roofed in snow even in the course of the spring.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, Mount Fuji is the tallest peak in Japan, standing at 3,776 metres. It was the results of volcanic activity that began around 100,000 years ago. The encompassing area is a well-liked recreational destination for mountain climbing, camping and leisure. The mountain was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013.
Local authorities introduced an entry fee in 2024 and a cap on the variety of entrants on the most well-liked trail to manage overcrowding and risks from rushed overnight climbing through rocky slopes to see the sunrise. They’ll introduce similar rules on other predominant trails this yr.
Last yr, Japanese officials urged Mount Fuji climbers to be more careful after five people died on the mountain in the identical week.
In response to The Recent York Times, three people died inside 24 hours on one side of the mountain, in Shizuoka Prefecture on July 10. One other person died on July 14. All 4 climbers were Japanese men of their 60s and 70s, police said. One died of a fall, one other became sick and the explanation for the opposite two was unclear. They were all solo climbers.
Days prior, on the opposite side of the mountain in Yamanashi Prefecture, a 58-year-old climber died on July 8, in accordance with officials. The person was a visitor from Hong Kong who became unconscious while climbing together with his wife, in accordance with local media outlet Kyodo News.
— With files from The Associated Press
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