A Taiwanese social media star known as the “bikini hiker” for her swimwear-clad mountain treks has died after plunging into a ravine.
Gigi Wu, 36, who amassed 14,000 Facebook followers by posting selfies when she arrived at mountain summits, fell into a ravine Tuesday
Wu is believed to have frozen to death eight days into a 25-day hike through Taiwan’s Yushan National Park after falling 65ft into a gully on Saturday afternoon and injuring her leg.
Wu managed to contact emergency services and give them co-ordinates of her location, but poor weather conditions hampered rescue efforts.
“Due to bad weather, three rescue helicopters were unable to reach her, and Nantou County Fire Department travelled to meet her on foot,” says Taiwan News.
After a 28-hour trek through perilous conditions, rescuers found Wu’s lifeless body yesterday. She had apparently died of hypothermia in zero-degree temperatures overnight. Her body was airlifted from the scene of the accident.
Wu had built an online following in Taiwan and beyond for her daring expeditions. She had successfully completed more than 100 hikes over four years, posing in 97 different bikinis.
Although known for her unique photos, Ms Wu was an experienced hiker and took the appropriate equipment and precautions for all expeditions.
The South China Morning Post reported that Wu usually hiked to the top of peaks in normal hiking gear and then changed into a bikini when she reached the top. She originally started taking pictures after losing a bet to a friend, for which her punishment was taking a photo in a bikini on top of a mountain.
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