A 32-year-old man has tragically died at a beauty spot on the Houlong River, in Taiwan, after he jumped into the water and his body was found the following day
A man has drowned after jumping into a river at a beauty spot just moments after he was seen posiing for photos, smiling and waving at others in the group.
The 32-year-old, whose surname has been revealed by authorities as Nguyen, was part of a small group of people enjoying a day of barbecue and swimming by a river dam when the tragedy unfolded. According to witnesses, the man was smiling and waving for photos before he leapt from the top of a concrete block into the water. But as soon as he jumped in, he immediately disappeared below the surface of the river.
Just moments before, he was seen smiling and posing for photos at the Houlong River, located in Miaoli County, a county in western Taiwan. It is believed a strong current in the water pulled the man under and he was swept away.
A day later authorities said that his body was found between concrete blocks at the dam, where he may have been dragged by the swirling water.
The powerful flow of the creek made it nearly impossible for his friends to help when he disappeared on Sunday evening. Emergency services were quickly alerted and rushed to the scene at around 6pm, as reported by NeedToKnow.
Police, fire department teams and members of the Miaoli County Mountain Rescue Association arrived to help but divers were not able to locate the man in the dangerous conditions on Sunday.
Cheng Sheng-feng, head of the fire service’s disaster relief unit, said that they received a report at 6pm on Sunday that a 32-year-old Vietnamese migrant worker had entered the water and disappeared at a dam on the Houlong River near the border of Miaoli City and Gongguan Township.
The man was in a group of five Vietnamese nationals who were friends and enjoying the warm weather. The Miaoli County Fire Bureau said that swimming and playing in the water are prohibited along the Houlong River.
It warned people that even when the river looks calm without wind and rain, there can quickly be flooding from heavy rainfall upstream which creates hidden currents and turbulent water.
A four-hour-long search ensued and rescue teams were eventually forced to pause the operation at around 10pm. They resumed the search at 7am on Monday (9 June), using equipment such as aerial drones to locate his body which was found 12.20pm.
Authorities have not released more details about man’s identity however it has been established that he was a Vietnamese migrant worker. Police have also urged the public to exercise caution when visiting rivers or streams, especially in areas not designated for swimming.