Two people have been detained in China on suspicion of having damaged a part of the Great Wall in the northern province of Shanxi with an excavator.
On August 24, local authorities received a report of a gap in the wall in the town of Yangqianhe. After an investigation, the police found that this was due to the actions of a 38-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman who used an excavator to break through the wall, creating a shortcut to the passage.
As a result of these actions, “irreparable” damage was caused to the integrity of this part of the building. Police said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
This area, known as the 32nd Great Wall, is one of the rare remaining complete walls and watchtowers from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1987, the Great Wall was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
