Taiwan tourists stranded by quake headed home

Source: Xinhua | 05-21-2008 10:30

CHENGDU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen Taiwan tourists left quake-hit Sichuan Province for home on Tuesday.

They took off aboard a chartered flight in the afternoon from Chengdu, the provincial capital, after being stranded for nearly a week in a village hit by the devastating earthquake.

The 14, including five aged about 75, were transported to Chengdu by helicopters on Sunday and Monday from the village, which was close to the epicenter of Wenchuan County.

Medical check-ups showed that none of them had serious health problems.

Zhang Mingqing, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, expressed sympathy and concern for the tourists at a meeting with them here in the morning.

Chen Chien-chin, the tour guide, said relevant departments and local villagers had been very helpful during their time in Wenchuan.

In a letter of thanks, some Taiwan organizations expressed gratitude to the joint rescue efforts by the mainland authorities and people.

"We felt over the past few days that people from across the Taiwan Strait are a family. We want to thank people from all walks of life in the mainland for their help," the letter read.

The tour group, arranged by a Taiwan-based travel agency named "Auspicious Crane," arrived in Chengdu on May 9 and was traveling from Maoxian county to Wenchuan, when the devastating quake struck on Monday.

They sought shelter in an adjacent village and survived the catastrophe thanks to food from local residents.

They were unable to establish contact with their tour agencies until Saturday when phone service resumed.

Based on satellite positioning data, helicopters dispatched by local authorities transported them to Chengdu in two flights.

They were reported as the last group of tourists from outside the Chinese mainland stranded in the quake-hit area.

Some 700 other Taiwan people, stranded in Chengdu and Chongqing Municipality since the quake, returned to the island Friday and Saturday.

In addition, 22 Taiwan rescuers who have been working in quake-ravaged areas in Sichuan for three days were also on the home-bound flight, arranged by Taiwan based Mandarin Airlines.

The chartered flight transported a second group of 37 Taiwan rescuers inward to continue the mission in the province earlier in the day.

Editor:Du Xiaodan