18-year-old boy survived nine days alone in the mountains: had to eat toothpaste

Survival with an unexpected solution

Without access to food, Sun grabbed an unorthodox method.

He ate toothpaste to nourish.

Although toothpaste is not designed to be a food source, it contains ingredients that could give him a minimal amount of energy.

The combination of toothpaste and the constant supply of water allowed him to stay alive until rescuers found him.

The rescue operation was initiated after several days of silence from Sun, where his family alerted the authorities.

A large search group of over 30 people was deployed and nine days after he disappeared, he was finally found.

He discovered the smoke from a campfire lit by rescuers and began to shout, which led to him reaching him.

Sun was rescued alive, but the experience left him shaken:

« I'm scared when I think back to it. The conditions were terrible, » he said, according to the South China Morning Post. He warned others against trying to go the demanding AO Tai route and emphasized the dangers of the mountains.

However, the rescue had its price.

Sun's family had to pay over 80,000 yuan (about 80,000 kroner) for the search.

Authorities use the fees to discourage hikers from taking unnecessary risks in the dangerous terrain where more than 50 people have disappeared or perished over the past 20 years.