Rescue British tourist lost in Hoang Lien forest

Tourist Henwood Josheph Thomas explored Hoang Lien National Park alone at 8am on April 19. At 11:30pm the same day, he lost his bearings and called the hotel in panic when his phone battery was running low.

The information was then forwarded to Lai Chau Provincial Police. The Provincial Police Director determined that the location reported by the tourist was on the border between Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces, with complex terrain, dense forests, and thunderstorms, so it was necessary to take advantage of the golden time to find the victim.

20 fire and rescue police officers, along with 32 police officers, medical staff from Tam Duong district, and police from Son Binh commune set out to search on the night of April 19. At around 8:00 a.m. on April 20, the police found the British tourist at the edge of the forest at the top of O Quy Ho pass, in Son Binh commune, Tam Duong district, in a tired state, with many small scratches on his body and a dead phone battery.

The rescue team provided drinks and food and took Thomas to a hotel in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province. "As soon as he stabilized his mental and physical health, knowing that many people had spent the night searching for him, Thomas hugged the officers and soldiers and said thank you," said a representative of Lai Chau Provincial Police.

Thomas then wrote a letter titled "Thanks letter", sharing that on April 19 he went to Thac Bac, in Sa Pa town, then got lost in Son Binh commune, Tam Duong district and could not find his way back.

"It was dark at that time, I was very scared, trying to contact for help. I called the Rescue Center of Lai Chau and Lao Cai Provincial Police. Upon receiving the information, the police gave me detailed instructions and sent forces to search," Thomas said. He sent his most sincere thanks to Lai Chau police for spending the whole night looking for him.

Hoang Lien National Park is located at an altitude of 1,000-3,000 m above sea level, in Sa Pa town, Lao Cai province and part of Tan Uyen district, Lai Chau province. The park has a rich flora and fauna, including many rare species of trees such as green cypress, ironwood, bamboo pine, red pine, and pine; animals include black gibbons, hornbills, chevrotains, and silver-cheeked langurs.

Tourists often travel from Sa Pa town to areas of Hoang Lien National Park such as Fansipan peak - the roof of Indochina at 3,143 m high, and cross O Quy Ho pass to explore the culture of ethnic minorities living in the park's buffer zone.