Couple who survived Sichuan earthquake decide to marry

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A deadly natural disaster unexpectedly turned into an opportunity for one Chinese couple to tie the knot.

The duo, from eastern Zhejiang Province, were with a tour group to the UNESCO's World Heritage Site in southwestern Sichuan Province, when a magnitude-7.0 earthquake rocked the region on Tuesday evening.

For safety reasons, the tour guides decided to drive the group back to the provincial capital, Chengdu.

The tour bus /Photo via Scol.com

But on the way back, falling rocks struck the back of the bus – right where Huang Wei (pseudonym) and Zeng Yajing were sitting – smashing the rear windows as aftershocks continued.

“At that time the aftershocks were continuous and many mountain roads were cut off by big stones. The window near us smashed, and at that moment my boyfriend wrapped me up with his coat," Zeng told Sichuan Daily.

Following the incident, the uninjured but badly shaken couple found that the window had been shattered by four fist-sized stones.

The badly broken rear window /Photo via Scol.com

Recalling the moment, Huang said, “My mind went blank, only hoping the stones wouldn’t hurt her. Luckily, the thick clothes protected us from injury.”

When asked about their plans, Zeng grinned, saying that they had already booked flight tickets home and planned to marry as soon as they got back.