Rescuer sacrificed life in flood relief mission

Wang Hongchun, a voluntary rescue worker from Beijing, has died during a flood relief mission, Beijing Daily reported on Wednesday.

On July 30, Wang and her teammates of the Blue Sky Rescue Team rushed to carry out an evacuation mission in the suburban district of Fangshan in Beijing which had been battered by relentless downpours since the weekend.

On the route to a flooded village, Wang and several other members saw a bridge, the base of which was severely damaged, so they stayed put to ensure the safety of passing vehicles and people.

On the morning of July 31, the river surged suddenly and Wang and her teammates were trapped in a flash flood. They immediately deserted their cars and boarded an inflatable boat.

However, the boat overturned in the torrential flood and all the eight people on board were swept away by the currents.

After intensive search efforts, four people were saved. On Aug 1, Wang's body was found about 30 kilometers downstream.

Wang, who was an executive of a property company, was among the first members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team of Fangshan. An enthusiastic volunteer, she often paid the expenses of the team out of her own pocket. In 2013 when she had just joined the rescue team, Wang spent 4,700 yuan ($654) to buy equipment used in mountain rescue missions.

Wang is survived by a 6-year-old daughter.