TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two power banks became the key elements for the survival of Sucipto (35) who went missing since Tuesday during his solo hike at Mount Merapi. It was his first-time hiking most active mount in Indonesia.

“My cell phone was always on throughout the time I was lost, which enabled me to communicate with the search and rescue (SAR) team,” said Sucipto when we met him at SAR Barameru’s basecamp in Boyolali on Thursday evening, December 14.

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According to the Head of SAR Barameru Bakat Setiawan, Sucipto was discovered by the joint SAR team at Mount Merapi’s southern side, specifically on top of the Gendol upstream on Thursday morning at 08:49 a.m. The team was able to evacuate Sucipto at 16:00 p.m. because of treacherous weather conditions.

“Sucipto became a survivor for 55 hours and 32 minutes,” said Bakat. He explained that it took a long time for the team to reach Sucipto because the team received conflicting information regarding Sucipto’s whereabouts.

On Tuesday afternoon, Sucipto informed that he was in the western part of the mount. On Tuesday evening, 211 volunteer rescuers that were split into ten search units immediately started their search from Selo Boyolali.

One day later on Wednesday afternoon, Sucipto informed the SAR team that he was on the cliff under the divided mount. “At the time, we immediately concluded that he was at Gendol creek,” said Bakat. The team then regrouped and run a new rescue scenario that would focus on the mountain’s southern areas.

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“On Thursday at 01:14, the rescue unit from Sapuangin noticed a signal coming from a flashlight. It turned out to be Sucipto,” said Bakat.

The team also noticed cries for help from Muhammad Zada Lubab (20) that also got lost at Mount Merapi since Tuesday after he was separated from his group and descended together with Sucipto.

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