Chinese woman rescued after 54 hours trapped in snake-infested well
A Chinese woman survived 54 hours in a deep well, clinging to stones while fending off snakes
A woman from southeastern China was miraculously rescued after enduring 54 gruelling hours trapped in an abandoned well, clinging to its walls.
According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), the 48-year-old, surnamed Qin, accidentally fell into the deep, weed-covered structure on September 13 while taking a walk in the woods near Quanzhou, Fujian province.
Her family noticed her disappearance that evening. When an initial search brought no result, they reported her missing the next day. On September 15, her son contacted the Jinjiang Ruitong Blue Sky Emergency Rescue Centre, which dispatched a team of ten rescuers to search the area with a thermal imaging drone.
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A faint cry for help
Team captain Du Xiaohang said they heard a weak cry for help around 1.45 pm, which led them to the hidden well. Peering through dense vegetation, they found Qin submerged in water, her pale fingers tightly gripping the wall.
Qin later explained how she had managed to survive. “There were many moments when I completely broke down in despair. The bottom of the well was pitch black, swarming with mosquitoes, and even had a few water snakes swimming nearby. I was covered in mosquito bites and was even bitten once on my arm by a water snake. Fortunately, it wasn’t venomous and didn’t cause any serious harm,” she recalled.
Fighting to survive
The woman said she had wanted to give up several times but thought of her parents and daughter. “There were countless times I wanted to give up. But then I thought about my 70-year-old mother, my 80-year-old father, and my daughter who just started college. If I left them behind, what would they do?” she said.
Her survival instinct also played a role. Knowing how to swim, Qin stayed afloat by clinging to a stone embedded in the wall. The well was narrow at the top and wider at the base, making it impossible to climb out. She dug out three more stones to use as makeshift footholds, which allowed her to keep herself above the waterline for 54 gruelling hours.
Recovery and treatment
Rescuers quickly cleared the vegetation and pulled her to safety. Qin was rushed to Jinjiang City Hospital before being transferred to Quanzhou First Hospital. Doctors found two fractured ribs, a minor collapsed lung and severe hand injuries from gripping the wall.
She is now in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery after several days of observation.
