IPOH: Another hiker has gone missing amid a spate of recent incidents, reigniting concerns over safety on jungle trails. The latest case comes just days after a 19-year-old girl was found dead after losing her way at Bukit Changkat Asa.
In the latest case, rescuers resumed the search and rescue (SAR) mission for a 49-year-old woman who went missing while climbing Gunung Batu Putih on May 23, deploying a new operations team of eight personnel.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the latest rescue team was deployed to Bukit Berapit 2 aboard an AW139 helicopter.
“They comprised eight STORM personnel and one Forestry Mountain Guide (MGP) from the first rescue team that entered Gunung Batu Putih on May 25 and exited safely this morning (yesterday) after encountering heavy rain and strong winds at Berapit 2 during the night,” he said.
He said the operation remained focused around 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 on May 23 with 13 other individuals and two MGPs 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 an MGP at 7.30am on Sunday, Bernama reported.
In a report by The Star dated May 14, seasoned hikers advised that proper preparation, awareness and safety precautions were vital to ensure an enjoyable experience on the trails.
They said hikers should monitor weather conditions, use walking poles, especially when descending steep slopes, and avoid hiking late in the evening on unfamiliar trails.
The advice from seasoned hikers comes in the wake of recent incidents of missing hikers.
Last year, a 34-year-old hiker from Kedah was found dead at Gunung Liang Barat in Perak after reportedly suffering hypothermia during a hiking expedition.
In the case of teenager Nur Izzati Humaira Azizul, who died after losing her way while hiking Bukit Changkat Asa with her family last Saturday, she is believed to have attempted to reach the foot of the hill alone after feeling fatigued. She was reported missing shortly after.
On Tuesday, the teenager’s body was discovered off the hiking trail by search and rescue teams at 11.59am.
She was found about 500m from where she was last seen and one kilometre from the incident control post.
