Acehnese Climbers Dies in Mount Semeru

Lumajang, E Java (Antara) - An Acehnese climber Achmad Fauzy (30) was found dead in the Arcopodo area of Mount Semeru, East Java, after being hit by rocks while scaling Mahameru about 3,676 meters above sea level. The body of the deceased climber was found on Monday afternoon (Nov. 3) at an area before the Mahameru peak. He was pursuing a master's degree course majoring in Engineering at the Gadjah Mada University. He, along with a group of college friends, climbed the Semeru Mountain, which is considered to be the highest on Java Island. "We have urged all climbers to change their route and temporarily not climb the Mahameru peak, but some climbers were ignoring the warning," Head of Central Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) Dr Ayu Dewi Utari stated on Tuesday when telephonically contacted by Antara. A joint search and rescue team along with the local residents had begun evacuating the victim's body on Monday night. "If the evacuation goes smoothly, the joint team will arrive at Ranu Pani Post, Senduro Sub-district, Lumajang District, in the afternoon," she pointed out. She said the accident was an unfortunate incident as the local government had continually urged the climbers to be heedful to the warning issued by the local official of TNBTS. Earlier, an official from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) called on mountain climbers to restrict their climbing activities to only Kalimati, an area before the Mahameru peak. The warning was issued due to the current status of Semeru Mountain, which was still at a dangerous level. Hence, the people should not venture within a radius of four kilometers from the mountain's peak.(*)