Organisations, individual commended for help in search for lost child in forest

Leaders of Văn Yên District visit Đặng Tiến Lâm, who is being treated at the Lâm Giang Commune Medical Station. — VNA/VNS Photo Đỗ Tuấn Anh

YÊN BÁI — The Văn Yên District People's Committee decided to reward six groups and one individual who made efforts in searching for a boy going missing in the forest.

Đặng Tiến Lâm was lost for four days from Khay Dạo Village, Lâm Giang Commune, Văn Yên District, the northern mountainous province of Yên Bái.

Chairman of the Văn Yên District People's Committee Hà Đức Anh acknowledged and commended local police, border guards, officials and people who did not hesitate regardless of the conditions, to search for Đặng Tiến Lâm.

The Chairman especially praised the noble heart and love of Lý Văn Nằng, lives in Bo Village, Lang Thíp Commune who brought Lâm back to his family.

At the ceremony to commend and reward groups and individuals who have made efforts in searching for the boy, Chairman Anh reminded all levels, localities and especially parents to raise vigilance, look after and manage their children well to avoid similar unfortunate incidents.

Last Saturday at midday, Lâm aged six, the youngest son of Đặng Văn Nhể and Lý Thị Phái joined a family party at a relative's house in the same village.

In the afternoon, Lâm and his nine siblings went to the other side of the stream near their house to play. While his siblings were busy picking wild mahogany, Lâm turned to the cassava growing area nearby.

After about 20 minutes, Lâm did not return home and when people called him, he did not respond, so his family asked everyone to go into the forest, down to the stream and nearby areas to search.

Immediately after receiving the emergency call, the Văn Yên District People's Committee directed forces to help search for the boy.

Every day until he was found, the locality assigned more than 150 people including police, military, youth and local people divided into many groups, following different directions to search from mountainous areas, caves, streams, deep ravines, ponds and lakes within a radius of about 3km from where Lâm went missing.

At the same time, it asked forces to expand the search area and direct neighboring communes to coordinate in finding the boy.

After more than four days of searching, at around 10am on Wednesday, Nằng reported that he found a child lost in the forest, about 6km from the initial sighting, towards Lang Thíp Commune.

Local authorities took Lâm to the Lâm Giang Commune Medical Station for health care where he is now in a stable condition.

Lâm said that during the days he got lost in the forest, he was very scared because he could not remember which direction to go in. He kept going further into the forest, then got lost in the hills.

When he was hungry, he ate leaves and wild fruits. When he was thirsty, he drank stream water and slept there when it was dark. — VNS