Squadron 3 of NASC 3rd Wing stationed at Fongnian Airport, Taitung, received a phone call from the Duty Command Center at 0620 hour on March 26: a mountain hiker (Mr. Chiu) suffer short breaths due to pulmonary edema and was stranded at the Ta Fen Valley cabin. A helicopter was needed for medical evacuation.
The squadron dispatched a UH-60M, no. NA-703, as soon as the order was received and the crew on standby went into the rescue mode immediately. The engine started at 0625 hour right after the mission briefing and the helicopter took off at 0643 hour. At 0705 hour, it arrived at the target area for searching. At 0712 hour, the stranded hiker was spotted and the Blackhawk landed to pick him up. As soon as the patient was on board, the helicopter pulled out the target area at 0724 hour, heading to Fongnian Airport. The bird, the crew and the patient landed at 0747 hour for another job well done.
