TEMPO.CO, Lumajang - Two climbers from Cirebon - Supriyadi (26) and Zirli Gita Ayu Safitri (16) went missing at the peak of Mount Semeru at the altitude of 3,676 meters above sea level.
Until now, the two climbers have not been found.
"The search is still underway and as of now, there has been no signs of the climbers. The two climbers took risks to climb to the top of the mountain," said Secretary of the Regional Disaster Management Agency in Lumajang Lumajang Purwanto.
The two climbes are from a group of six chaired by Sukron. They departed from Ranu Pani in Senduro disrict, Lumajang on Tuesday and the headed to Ranu Kumbolo.
On Wednesday, the group left from Ranu Kumbolo to Kalimati post to continue to the Mountain the next day.
When they reached the limit of vegetation, two of them went down to Kalimati because one of them was ill, while the other four climbers continued their trip to the peak of the mountain.
At 08:00 pm, four of them arrived at Watugedhe and then took a rest.
The two men went on a trip to the top of Semeru, but reportedly they could not climb to Mahameru and decided to go down.
"The group leader was initially waiting in Watugedhe, but the two men did not come back until they get down to Kalimati and report to the community Volunteer Companion Semeru (saver) about the loss of his two friends," said Purwanto.
The news of the loss of two climbers were officially reported to the clerk at the Post of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) TNBTS on Friday (20/5).
"The search and rescue measure was conducted since Saturday (21/5). The search involves six members of the Rapid Response Team of Lumajang BPBD, 20 personnel TNBTS, six members of the SAR, six porters, local communities, and personnel from Jember Basarnas," Purwanto said.
To facilitate the search process, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) on Saturday at 8 pm closed the hiking trail to the mountain yesterday at 20:00 pm.
In accordance with the recommendation from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), the climbing limit of Mount Semeru is only until Kalimati due to the mountain’s alert status. The climbers have also agreed to climb only to Kalimati.
For the record, the climbing lane of Mount Semeru has been opened since May 1.
ZUMROTIN SOLICHAH | ANTARA
