IPOH: The search and rescue (SAR) mission for a 49-year-old woman who went missing while climbing Gunung Batu Putih last Saturday (May 23) resumed on Wednesday with a new operations team comprising eight personnel deployed.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the latest rescue team was deployed to Bukit Berapit 2 at 9.15am aboard an AW139 helicopter.
"They comprised eight STORM personnel and one Forestry Mountain Guide from the first rescue team that entered Gunung Batu Putih on Monday and exited safely on Wednesday morning after encountering heavy rain and strong winds at Berapit 2 during the night," he said in a statement.
He said the operation remained focused on the Gunung Raya area based on clues discovered earlier.
On Tuesday, the discovery of a water bottle and supplement packets believed to belong to the missing hiker, Jaslinda Saludin, at Gunung Batu Putih here provided the latest lead to the SAR team.
The items were found along the route leading to Gunung Raya, where the victim is believed to have strayed from the original hiking trail.
Jaslinda was reported to have begun the Trans Spencer Chapman hike at 2am last Saturday with 13 other individuals and two mountain guides via the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.
She and another hiker, Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, 41, experienced health problems and stopped.
However, Jaslinda was reported to have continued her ascent to the mountain peak and was last seen by a mountain guide at 7.30am on Sunday. - Bernama
