Climber returns to Japan’s highest peak to retrieve his phone and ends up needing rescue again
A 27-year-old climber was rescued twice from Mount Fuji in just one week after deciding to return to the mountain to recover his lost phone, according to local media reports.
The young man, a Chinese university student living in Japan, reached the top of the mountain, which is over 3,700 meters high, last Tuesday, but suffered from altitude sickness and had to be airlifted, according to the police of Shizuoka Prefecture. Four days later, he decided to climb again to retrieve his personal belongings — but fell ill again.
During the second attempt, the student began to experience the same symptoms when he was about 3,000 meters above sea level. Another climber noticed the situation and called emergency services.
“It is suspected that he suffered from altitude sickness and was taken to the hospital,” said an official to AFP. The two climbs took place outside of Mount Fuji’s official climbing season, which runs from July to September. During this period, the trails, emergency posts, and toilets are closed, and climbing is strongly discouraged by the authorities.
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