Missing children found safe in nearby village; 5,000 had been searching

Seven-year-old Chen Hanlin, one of the three missing children, is being transferred to Hangzhou Hospital for further treatment. Doctors decided that no leg amputation is needed after a primary consultation. [Photo by ShenZhicheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

Three children whose disappearance inspired a massive search were found safe in Changshan village on Friday morning, nearly 72 hours after they were last seen in Pujiang county, Zhejiang province.

No immediate information was available about the circumstances of their recovery. About 5,000 volunteers from across the county had been searching for them.

The three were found around 10:30 am about three kilometers from their home, and are being checked at a hospital, though they were in good physical condition when they were found, the county's publicity authority said.

Chen Xinyi, 12, her 7-year-old brother Chen Hanlin and an 8-year-old girl, Chen Minjie, were last seen around 11 am on Tuesday when they left their homes in Jianguang village, Pujiang County.

Two police helicopters had joined the search and two amphibious rescue vehicles were also mobilized.