VietNamNet Bridge – Chairman of Sa Pa district Vu Hung Dung said Sa Pa officials have met with and encouraged family members of the missing British tourist Aiden Shaw Webb and expanded the search.

Aiden Shaw Webb went missing while climbing Fansipan Summit (Photo: Metro.co.uk)

Webb, 23, a tourist from the UK, is said to be missing while climbing Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina, in Hoang Lien National Park, Lao Cai Province.

Three relatives of Webb flew from the UK to Vietnam on Monday evening and met with Sa Pa district officials on Tuesday.

At the meeting, they said that Webb is a professional mountain climber, who preferred conquering terrains full of obstacles. Therefore it is likely that after sending a message about his injury, Webb moved to other areas, making it difficult for the search and rescue forces.

Another possibility is that after being wounded, Webb met another problem in the abyss that the current search and rescue forces of Sapa District did not have access to. The deepest point in the valley where Webb was injured is more than 1,000 meters deep.

At the meeting with Webb’s family, the search and rescue forces of Sa Pa district decided to expand the search, by increasing the number of rescuers and expanding the search area, focusing on three places of Doi Du, the waterfall area in Sin Chai village of San Sa Ho commune and the area from the high point of 2,500 meters downwards.

Sa Pa district has mobilized more than 100 people, including soldiers, police officers, forest rangers, militias and people in San Sa Ho commune to find Webb. The district has also for support from Lao Cai province.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Hinh said that rescuers were working around the clock to search for Aiden Shaw Webb, 23, but they had not found any traces.

The victim’s family is offering a reward of VND100 million (nearly $5,000) to anyone who find the 23-year-old man who went missing on June 2 while visiting Fansipan Mountain. At the same time, Sapa district also offers VND50 million ($2,500).

At 8am on June 4 the management board of the Hoang Lien National Park received a report from Blu Bell Eloise Baugham (the victim's girlfriend) about Aiden Webb’s distress while climbing Fansipan. On June 5 and 6, the local authorities searched for the victim but failed to find him

According to the last messages sent by Aiden Webb to her girlfriend at 6am on June 4 (then lost contact), the search and rescue forces determined the place where Webb was in distress is extremely rugged, at the height of 2000-2900 m above sea level. At 11 am the same day, through the cable car system, the first search team had access to the located area but did not find the tourist.

Webb and his girlfriend, Blue Bell Eloise Baugham, arrived in Sapa town of the northern province and booked a Quyet Tinh Hotel room on June 2.

In the early morning of the next day, Webb went climbing while his girlfriend stayed at the hotel. He started the journey in Sin Chai hamlet and followed the direction of the cable car system to Fansipan Summit.

His girlfriend said she received the last Facebook message from Webb at about 6 a.m. of June 4, where he said he had sustained injuries to arms and legs.

The last location of Webb as detected on Baugham’s mobile phone was around areas No. 267 and 274 of Sin Chai hamlet in the Hoang Lien National Park.

Shortly after receiving notification of a missing person, police, staff members of the national park and local residents began searching for the British tourist in the last detected location, Hinh said.

On June 6, relevant forces expanded the search area and asked for help from neighbouring Tam Duong and Tan Uyen districts of Lai Chau province.

However, Hinh noted the possible areas where Webb went missing have complex terrain, even canyons, which rescuers had been temporarily unable to access. The rescue force will continue the search at every canyon and cliff.

The path to the 3,143-metre Fansipan Summit, the highest peak in Vietnam, through Sin Chai is said to be very dangerous and not suitable for inexperienced climbers. Tourists who want to reach the peak are suggested to begin at Tram Ton road or use the cable car.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lao Cai province said Webb climbed the Fansipan alone and did not register with the Board of Management of Hoang Lien National Park. Under regulations of the local authorities, tourists must purchase a ticket to climb the Fansipan, register personal information and go in groups, with tour guides.

Pha Le