JIUQUAN Oct. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Airborne and ground rescue teams with four
helicopters, a sky truck and seven special vehicles have got ready for
Shenzhou-6's return at China's secondary ground landing site in Jiuquan, an
officer said Sunday.
"Decision will be made six hours before the spacecraft's return whether the
re-entry capsule will land at the primary landing site in Inner Mongolia or this
northwestern standby site," said Zhu Yabin, chief of the land search and rescue
team.
"Anyway, we have fully prepared to greet the taikonauts here at any time,"
he added.
The rescue and search team will operate in an area 15 km by 9 km, or an
area 170 km by 30 km in case the spacecraft returns in an unexpected way.
Airborne soldiers will be used if the spacecraft lands in areas not
suitable for helicopters, said the officer.
The designated landing spot will be some 30 km from a hospital with the
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where the craft was launched Wednesday morning,
and about 60 km from the airport.
The taikonauts will be carried to Beijing by a special plane if they are
diagnosed to be in normal health, or to hospital if they suffer physical damage,
according to him.
Meanwhile, six helicopters, 14 special vehicles and more than 200 rescuers
are at the primary landing site in Siziwang Banner (county), Inner Mongolia, to
wait for the taikonauts to return, said Sui Qisheng, chief commander in charge
of landing.
In an interview with Xinhua on Sunday, Sui said, "We have drawn out
detailed plans to ensure that rescue workers and equipment will arrive at where
the capsule lands."
Several drillings have been carried out for this purpose, he added.