In the late hours of July 16, as the night grew quiet and tourists were gradually heading back, an emergency occurred at the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Area when a visitor went missing. Scenic area staff, security personnel, medical teams, and on-duty police officers responded immediately, launching an urgent search and rescue operation in the rainy night. They successfully recovered the lost elderly visitor, safeguarding tourist safety with speed and unwavering dedication.
At around 8:30 PM that evening, a senior tourist over sixty years old accidentally became separated from their family during the visit. The elderly person had cognitive impairments and did not carry a mobile phone, making it impossible to seek help or contact relatives on their own. After futile attempts to search within the scenic area, the anxious family turned to the scenic area management for help at 11:00 PM.

Upon receiving the report, the scenic area immediately activated its emergency response plan for lost visitors. Staff quickly assessed the situation, reviewed surveillance footage along the route, and simultaneously mobilized emergency rescue teams to conduct a full-scale search. To minimize search time, the scenic area coordinated over 150 staff members, security guards, medical personnel, and local police officers, deploying 16 rescue vehicles and 2 search drones. They adopted a three-dimensional search model combining aerial reconnaissance, ground grid searches, and zone-by-zone sweeps, conducting comprehensive and thorough checks across the desert hinterland and surrounding key areas.
During the rescue operation, the weather suddenly turned severe, with wind and rain picking up overnight. The complex terrain of the desert hinterland and poor visibility greatly increased the difficulty of the search. Despite the harsh conditions and urgent danger, all rescue personnel remained undeterred, persevering through the storm and expanding the search radius continuously, leaving no detail or corner unchecked.
After more than two hours of uninterrupted searching, at 1:55 AM the following morning, the rescue team successfully located the lost elderly person deep in the desert hinterland. Medical staff immediately examined the elderly individual, monitoring vital signs and confirming that they were in good condition with no injuries or discomfort. Seeing the elderly person safe and sound, the family’s tense nerves finally relaxed, and they repeatedly expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the scenic area for its efficient, prompt, and caring rescue services.
Following the resolution of the emergency, the scenic area promptly organized a thorough debriefing and review of the rescue operation, comprehensively analyzing the search process, meticulously identifying any procedural shortcomings, and formulating targeted improvement measures. At the same time, the scenic area will continue to conduct routine emergency response training, continuously refine its protocols for lost visitors and sudden assistance requests, and steadily enhance its capabilities for rapid response, coordinated action, and comprehensive support in emergencies.
Tourist safety is never a trivial matter, and warm-hearted service is always available. The Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Area has always prioritized visitor safety, combining swift emergency response, professional handling capabilities, and caring public services to protect every tourist’s experience. Going forward, the scenic area will further strengthen its safety management foundation, refine service support measures, and optimize its emergency rescue system, providing more professional, efficient, and heartwarming services to ensure a safe and pleasant journey for all visitors.
This WeChat post is edited by the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring National Scenic Area (WeChat ID: mssyyq). Please indicate the source when republishing.
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