A tourist was left fighting for his life after becoming trapped on a rope directly in front of a powerful waterfall in central China.
The terrifying incident happened at Yangjiaotan waterfall on August 15, when a man identified as Tang attempted to take part in a rappelling activity.
Tang had reportedly reached about halfway down the rope when the powerful water current suddenly struck him. Footage showed him suspended in mid-air as torrents of water crashed directly onto his face and body.
The force of the water left him spinning and desperately flailing his arms as he struggled to breathe. Tang later said he was repeatedly submerged by the strong current and feared he would not be able to escape.
He estimated that he remained trapped for around five minutes before being brought to safety. The ordeal left him with multiple abrasions and soft-tissue injuries, while he later sought medical attention after experiencing difficulty walking.
Tang was also admitted to a hospital’s psychological medicine department for two days and diagnosed with an acute stress reaction. He claimed that some of his belongings had been swept away by the water and later sought compensation for his medical expenses, lost income and psychological distress.
The company involved disputed parts of his account, saying the group leader had acted quickly and rescued him within about three minutes. It said Tang was checked after the rescue and reported swallowing water, dizziness and nausea.
The company offered to refund his booking fee, provide compensation equivalent to twice the booking cost and cover his treatment expenses, but both sides failed to reach an agreement over additional compensation.
Following the incident, the company said the waterfall route had been suspended for organised groups. Local authorities and tourism officials are also following up on the incident, which reportedly took place in an undeveloped area.
