Police officers in Pung Luong Commune rescue the two tourists from a ravine on September 20.
The pair were heading by motorbike to Bay Tang waterfall in Pung Luong Commune, known for its rugged beauty. The path, only 50cm wide and uneven, proved more dangerous than expected.
One of the tourists recalled that his friend, who was steering, accidentally revved the engine while shifting into first gear, causing the motorbike to lurch forward. They lost balance and tumbled down the slope.
“I managed to grab onto a tree about five metres down, but my friend and the motorbike fell 25 metres,” he said. “I climbed back to the road and called for help from local police with the support of a tour guide.”
Both men escaped serious injury and their vehicle was undamaged. One later wrote a letter of thanks to local officers for their swift response.
Captain Hoang Van Duy of Pung Luong Commune Police said he received the distress call at 2.30 pm on September 20. He quickly mobilised six officers and two local security members to reach the site, 10km away.
Using a 30-metre rope, two rescuers descended to reach the victim while others pulled him and the motorbike back up. The rescue took about 20 minutes.
“When we brought him up, he was still in shock. We tried to calm him down,” Duy said.
The police officer advised inexperienced riders to hire local drivers when travelling on steep, narrow mountain roads, or to use low gear to reduce the risk of accidents.
