Search for Swiss Climber Reported Missing on Mt Semeru Continued

Lumajang, E Java, (Antara) - A group of search workers continued their effort to find missing Swiss climber named Lionel Du Creaux on Thursday by focusing their search on a 75-meter-deep ravine of Mount Semeru in Lumajang District, East Java.

"Our search is now focused on a ravine called Blank 75 because many climbers go missing there on their way back from Mount Semeru's peak," Head of Lumajang District's Disaster Mitigation Agency Hendro Wahyono said.

The search for the 26-year-old climber that his friend named Alice Guignard from Franch reported his missing to the authorities of Ranupani post on June 7 was conducted through Tawon Songo and Ranupani tracks, he said.

Alice Guignard herself was found alive by a climber named Heri Sumantri and his friends after hearing her scream on June 6. Alice was then helped go down to Ranupani post, the first of 10 along the Semeru track, he said.

Lionel and Alice attempted to climb the peak of the 3,676 meter-high mountain, located at the border of Lumajang and Malang Districts in East Java Province, together but Alice decided not to continue her effort after knowing that she chose the wrong track, he said.

Instead, Lionel kept climbing. The two climbers were reported not to inform the authorities of Ranupani Post about their intention to climb to the peak of Mount Semeru.(*)

Reported by Zumrotun Solichah