Chinese water police find man in dinghy in restricted area of Three Gorges Dam

Patrol officers found a man from Sichuan paddling an inflatable dinghy in restricted waterways of the massive Three Gorges Dam, China News Service reported.

The officers were on patrol in their boat on Monday when they discorered the man and called him alongside for questioning.

The man gave his name, Tang, and that he was an “experienced kayaking enthusiast” from Sichuan, where there were many wild rivers. However, he said he was lost and asked “where is the Yangtze river exit?”

The Yangtze river passes through the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest producer of hydroelectricity. Much of the water plunges over an 80m spillway or through huge turbine tunnels. Ships navigate a separate channel to one side and pass through a series of locks or a giant ship lift.

The officers quickly pulled Tang onto their boat. He had no life vest or other emergency equipment other than a paddle, biscuits and mineral water.

They lectured Tang on laws and regulations in the Three Gorges area. According to the report, it took officers two hours to persuade Tang to pack up his dinghy and leave the area.