On Tuesday, a camera caught footage of the moment that a man, walking on Huashan’s terrifying cliffside plank path, unhooked his own safety harness and jumped to his death.
In the footage, a group of tourists are seen slowly shuffling down the path, which is made of wooden planks just 30cm wide. A man in a gray shirt stops in the center of the frame, unhooks his safety harness, and looks down at the valley below for a few moments before jumping off, leaving fellow visitors stunned.
A Huashan staff member has confirmed that the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon. Search and rescue teams have been sent out, but the man’s body has not been recovered and his identity remains unknown. From the path, it’s about 2,000 meters down to the bottom of the valley.
Located in Shaanxi province, about a two-hour train ride away from Xi’an, Huashan is one of China’s most well-known mountains. Thanks to its infamous cliffside plank paths, it has acquired the reputation of being one of the world’s most “dangerous‘ and even “deadly” hikes.
While there are rumors of 100 people dying each year on Huashan, this number is completely unsubstantiated and totally farcical. However, the actual number of deaths is not officially recorded.
– Do not leave the person alone
– Remove any sharp objects, alcohol, drugs or firearms that could be used in a suicide attempt
– Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional
– Call the following hotlines for help: Lifeline Shanghai: 021-6279-8990 (English speakers; 10am – 10pm daily); HopeLine: 4001619995 (Chinese speakers; 24/7 toll-free access)
