CYBERJAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department is continuing its search and rescue (SAR) operation for Jaslinda Saludin, the female hiker who went missing at Gunung Batu Putih on May 23.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said eight additional personnel were deployed to the search area on Saturday (May 30) morning to facilitate the rotation of rescue teams on the ground.
The search operation has entered its eighth day, with rescuers continuing efforts to trace her whereabouts in the mountainous area.
He said a total of 50 personnel from various agencies are currently involved in the ongoing SAR operation.
"Based on the experience of our rescue teams and the environmental conditions in the mountainous terrain, which differ from operations at sea, it is still too early to decide on calling off the search.
“The operation is continuing and will proceed as planned," he told reporters after the Qurban Kasih programme with personnel from the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the Fire and Rescue Department and the Sepang parliamentary constituency at the Cyberjaya Fire and Rescue Station today.
Also present was Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu.
Nor Hisham said the SAR team would continue to monitor developments and intensify efforts to locate the missing hiker based on ongoing operational assessments.
Jaslinda was reported to have begun the Trans Spencer Chapman trek with 13 other participants and two forestry mountain guides at 2am on May 23 via the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.
She and another hiker, Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, 41, reportedly experienced health issues and stopped during the trek.
However, Jaslinda later continued her ascent towards the summit and was last seen by a forestry mountain guide at about 7.30am on May 24.
