KUCHING: Two men, who found themselves stranded on Mount Matang after they lost their bearings along a temple trail on Tuesday, have been found safe and sound today (Jan 3).
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said the 28-year-old local and 37-year-old Canadian were found safe at 2.57 pm.
Both of them were discovered about 450m from the search and rescue (SAR) control post following a sweeper technique at their last location.
Rescuers guided the duo out from the temple trail and took them to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for a medical check-up.
Following the successful finding, the search concluded at 4.50 pm.
Earlier on Tuesday night, one of the victims contacted the department at 7.38 pm and informed them of their stranded situation.
Firemen from Petra Jaya station and the police were promptly dispatched to the scene, to locate the missing hikers through the shared last location on WhatsApp.
A team of rescuers, joined by local villagers and a local guide, reached the victims’ last location at 9.40 pm, only to discover the hikers were not there.
The rescuers managed to contact the victims again at 10 pm, and were told by the hikers that they would soon be uncontactable due to their phones’ low battery.
Both men were advised to stay put in their current location and not to wander around.
