The surviving student is rescued and transferred to the hospital. [Photo from xwh.cn/IC]

College student dies crossing desert, companion saved

The college students who went missing in the Badain Jaran Desert have been found, but only one of them survived, according to a report on xwh.cn on Saturday.

Two students from Jilin University in Changchun, Jilin province, entered the desert, one of the four largest in China on May 17, planning to cross it by May 27, but failed.

A rescue team and local people who are familiar with desert conditions ventured into the wilderness to search for them. They returned with the surviving student, who was dehydrated, and the other's body.

The student who died had no experience in hiking or desert survival skills and both students underestimated the difficulties of hiking through the desert.