Tourist guide who got lost on Mount Santubong still not found

0

SANTUBONG: A local tourist guide got lost after taking a short cut while descending Gunung Santubong yesterday.

EXTRA HELP: The police canine unit prepares to join Civil Defence Department personnel in the search for the missing guide.

EXTRA HELP: The police canine unit prepares to join Civil Defence Department personnel in the search for the missing guide.

The 24-year-old guide from a hotel here had yet to be found as of 10 o’clock last night, despite a coordinated search effort mounted by police, the Fire Department and Civil Defence Department.

According to a staff of the hotel, who requested anonymity, the guide had been tasked with leading an elderly German couple on holiday here on a hike up Gunung Santubong.

The group, which included a second guide, departed around 8am and began their descent around 1.30pm.

“I was told that he decided to take a supposed short cut through a second jungle path and informed the others to continue on their own.

“He told them not to worry and assured them that he was very familiar with the surrounding area,” said the staff.

However, when the holidaying couple and the second guide arrived at the foot of the mountain, the latter received a call from the 24-year-old asking for help as he had lost his way.

A distress call was then made which led to the police, firemen and Civil Defence Department personnel mounting a search for the missing guide.

A police canine unit was also called in to aid the search late last night.

According to a member of the search party, the rescuers had been in contact with the missing person via his handphone up until 5pm when the device’s battery went dead.

He added that rescuers were unsure of the guide’s exact position as he was constantly on the move in the jungle trying to find his own way out.

Meanwhile, a source informed The Borneo Post that rescuers planned to continue the search effort throughout the night until the guide, who is not believed to be injured, was found.

He added that the personnel from the General Operations Force would also be joining the search party.