Diary records painstaking rescue efforts after air crash

Part 2: Sleepless night

At 9:00 pm on March 21, the reinforcement team arrived at the assembly site.

The situation at the site was complex. The experts and leading professionals formulated rescue plans at the on-site base. We set up our temporary tents and waited for orders.

It was around midnight when we completed setting up the tents. Because of the hot and stuffy weather, along with anxiety of the mission, I couldn't sleep. I called my mother and told her that I was at the crash site.

She told me to stay safe and save as many as I could, and before I could realize it, I had tears flowing down my cheeks. "Mom, life is so precious. I want to have a hug with you."

Before daybreak, we were briefed on safety precautions and work disciplines. Search and rescue was designated as the top priority.

As we received orders to head into the mountains, my teammates and I felt heavy responsibilities on our shoulders.