Andrey Pautov is in stabel condition after the missing Russian
tourist were found alive on Friday evening in northwest China.
Rescuers has sent the man by helicopter to Regional People's
Hospital of Hotan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, for
treatment by Saturday noon.
Initial check-up shows that Pautov's health condition is stable
with blood pressure, pulse and heartbeat in normal range, according
to doctors.
He said he had only drunk river water and had not eaten any food
in the 25 days since his boat capsized in the river on August
28.
Pautov was found hours after finding the first survivor from a
group of six Russians who went missing on a rafting trip a month
ago.
During the past days, although Pautov could hear and see the
helicopter, but his ground gesture of waving hands was too weak to
be seen by rescuers on the helicopter.
At 6?PM Friday, the man saw the helicopter on the opposite
band of a river where he was staying around. He tried to swim
across the river and walked to the helicopter. Unfortunately, the
helicopter took off while he was about 500 meters away.
Pautov was in the sight of ground rescuers at 8 PM., according
to Zhang Shaoyun, deputy head of the headquarters. Rescuers
enwrapped the man with dry cloths, washed him clean and provided
him liquid nutrition before taking him to hospital.
The rescuers informed the rescue headquarters in Hotan by
satellite phone, saying the man would be taken to Hotan by
helicopter on Saturday as it was too late for the helicopter to
fly.
(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2007)