A 24-year-old man went missing while on a trip to Shaanxi's Huashan Mountain, and both his family and authorities are searching for him currently without a clue regarding his whereabouts.

“[Authorities] told us the search was too difficult,” Zhu Xianfeng's worried parents told Shanghai Daily. “We’ve been looking for [our son] by ourselves for the past two days.”

Like Us on Facebook

Zhu's father was in tears when police from the Chinese province told him that they are yet to find clues as to how and where his son can be found.

“We can’t imagine what has happened to him,” he said, “we just want him to come home.”

According to his father, Zhu traveled alone to the Shaanxi capital of Xi'an on January 20. He reportedly called his father on Sunday and told him that he will be going home the following day via a flight that he had already booked.

The father added that at that time, they had no reason to worry as Zhu seemed fine.

However, Zhu, a master's student at the Shanghai University of Business and Economics, wasn't able to board his flight. His family tried to contact him via phone, but failed as his phone had been switched off.

Xu Cong, a cousin of Zhu, who frequently goes on solo trips, said that he is worried.

“We just hope that someone saw him can give us a clue to where he went,” he said in a phone conversation with Shanghai Daily.

According to him, police said that they will be joined by professional guides in their search for his missing cousin.

He added that the police have already searched in the common areas where tourists usually go, and will need to search even further.

According to surveillance camera footage, Zhu was last seen in the area known as Yingzui Peak, Monday at about 2:49 p.m. local time. The video footage also revealed that pathways were covered in thick snow.

“Safe” Tourist Spot

One of the most popular tourist spots in China, Huashan Mountains is accessible to day-trippers. However, it still poses risks for those who stray off the beaten track.

Due to bad weather conditions on Jan. 22, ticket sales for the tourist spot was suspended, a representative said. Sales only resumed Monday morning.

However, despite the bad weather conditions, it is still rare that a person will go missing in the area, the representative added.

TagsHuashan Mountains, Shaanxi province, Shanghai University of Business and Economics