A woman from southeastern China has been miraculously rescued after an astonishing ordeal of 54 hours spent trapped in an abandoned well. The 48-year-old, identified as Qin, fell into the deep, weed-covered well on September 13 while walking near Quanzhou, Fujian province. Her family reported her missing the following day when she didn’t return home.
On September 15, her son contacted the Jinjiang Ruitong Blue Sky Emergency Rescue Centre. A team of ten rescuers, utilizing a thermal imaging drone, eventually located the hidden well after hearing a faint cry for help. They found Qin submerged in water, her fingers desperately clinging to the well’s wall.
Qin recounted her terrifying experience, describing moments of utter despair. She battled mosquitoes and water snakes, even sustaining a non-venomous snake bite on her arm, thankfully without serious harm. Driven by thoughts of her family – her elderly parents and college-bound daughter – she fought to stay alive.
Despite the challenges, Qin’s knowledge of swimming allowed her to stay afloat by gripping a stone. As the well was narrow at the top and wider at the base, climbing out was impossible. She managed to dislodge three more stones to create makeshift footholds, enabling her to remain above the water for the entire 54-hour period.
Rescuers successfully extricated Qin and rushed her to Jinjiang City Hospital. She was later transferred to Quanzhou First Hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with two fractured ribs, a minor collapsed lung, and severe hand injuries due to her prolonged grip on the well wall. She is reported to be in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.