A hiker who went missing on Mount Slamet in Indonesia was found dead last week, ending a 16-day search operation. Syafiq Ridhan Ali Razan was reported missing on 30 December and his body was discovered on 14 January.
The Goeteng Taroenadibrata General Hospital in Purbalingga, central Java, stated that, given the rate of decomposition, the hiker had likely died two weeks before the body was located. Signs of a fracture in his left thigh suggest that Ali Razan fell to his death, according to the hospital.
Budiono, head of the search and rescue office in Semarang, said Ali Razan’s body was not found on the ascending route he had taken with his friend. The duo had started their hike from the Dipajaya basecamp in Pemalang regency on 27 December. The body was recovered at about 10.49am local time near post 9 of the hiking trail, at the base of a slope on Mount Slamet’s southern flank.
Thick fog and poor weather prevented an immediate evacuation, with rescue teams able to move the body only the following morning. The body was evacuated from a 20m ravine and brought to the Mount Malang basecamp at about 2.30pm local time on Thursday.
Ali Razan and his companion, Himawan Haidar Bahran, were last together on 28 December when they stopped at post 5 after the latter suffered a cramp. Ali Razan decided to go down for help and asked his friend to wait, but never returned. Mr Haidar Bahran eventually climbed to post 9 and stayed there until 30 December when a team of volunteers found him. He was escorted to safety.
