KOTA KINABALU: The five-day rescue operation for Croatian climber Mauro Persic who had fallen into a ravine on Mount Kinabalu at an altitude of 3,700m above sea level stands out as one of the most extreme search and rescue missions undertaken by the state's rescue teams.
In the incident on Sept 6, rescue teams received information that Persic, 46, had trespassed onto Mount Kinabalu via an unauthorised route through Sungai Mesilou without a permit and he subsequently fell, sustaining injuries to his right leg, right ribs, and arm.
Recounting the arduous ordeal, Sabah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Deputy Fire Superintendent II Mohd Faizal Wahid said the rescue operation at that altitude posed extreme challenges because the victim was located off the official climbing trail.
The head of the Sabah Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team (STORM) said while the victim was located approximately 150m from the search and rescue (SAR) team's position, reaching him required personnel to traverse the "Bowen route", a path characterised by steep inclines, high cliffs, stair-like sections, slippery surfaces, and loose rocks.
"Accidents can happen suddenly, especially when navigating areas with loose rocks and slippery terrain; that is why personnel had to use safety ropes as a secondary safety measure when ascending or descending hazardous slopes and cliffs," he told Bernama.
Mohd Faizal added that the rescue team utilised offline Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to verify the victim's location and communicated via phone calls and WhatsApp, as signal reception was disrupted in certain areas.
He said the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation commenced immediately after information regarding the missing person was received via STORM Sabah WhatsApp group at 8.30pm on Sept 6, prompting the immediate activation of the STORM team.
On Sept 7, 16 STORM members reported to Sabah Parks for a safety briefing before beginning their ascent from Timpohon Gate, arriving at the Fire and Rescue Department’s control post at Gunting Lagadan at 6pm.
At 5 am on Sept 8, 11 STORM members accompanied by two Park SAR rangers and a mountain guide set out along the three-kilometer Bowen Route from Gunting Lagadan however, four of them were forced to halt their ascent due to acute mountain sickness.
The SAR team continuing the journey and spotted the victim at 10.40am and attempted to reach him using rope techniques at 3pm, but the operation had to be suspended at 4 pm due to heavy rain, strong winds, and thick fog.
The adverse weather conditions forced the SAR personnel to spend the night in an open, rocky area, clad in damp clothing, they had only the sky above and the rocky ground beneath them, using trash bags as makeshift body protection.
Operations resumed at 7am on Sept 9, allowing STORM members to reach Persic at 8.24am and the victim, who had sustained injuries to his right leg and right ribs as well as wounds on his hands, was then administered initial medical treatment.
The rescue team subsequently utilised 150m of static kernmantle rope, a Sked stretcher, and a hauling system to hoist the victim to a safe area by 7pm.
The victim was brought down at 8am on Sept 10 via the 5.5km route from Bowen to Timpohon Gate using a body harness carrier and piggyback carry before arriving at Timpohon Gate at 7.06 pm for transport to Ranau Hospital.
Mohd Faizal stated that the five-day operation was particularly challenging compared to past experiences, as personnel had to ration food supplies while enduring extreme cold and damp conditions throughout the rescue process.
He noted that the success of the operation which involved 43 personnel, including the Mountain Search and Rescue (MOCSAR) team, porters, rangers, the police, and the Civil Defence Force was underpinned by high-angle rescue and jungle survival skills.
Persic had previously been reported for trespassing on Mount Kinabalu via an unauthorised route at Sungai Mesilou without a permit before falling; he was subsequently issued a maximum compound fine of RM25,000 by the authorities for the trespassing offence. - Bernama
