The body of a hiker missing for over two weeks has been discovered on a popular Indonesian volcano, concluding an extensive search operation.
Discovery and Cause of Death
Syafiq Ridhan Ali Razan was reported missing on 30 December after failing to return from a trek on Mount Slamet in central Java. His body was finally located by search and rescue teams on 14 January, bringing the 16-day operation to a close.
Medical officials at the Goeteng Taroenadibrata General Hospital in Purbalingga stated that, based on the state of decomposition, the hiker had likely died approximately two weeks before being found. A key indicator from the post-mortem was a fracture in his left thigh, suggesting Ali Razan died from a fall.
Challenging Search and Evacuation
Budiono, head of the search and rescue office in Semarang, confirmed the body was not found on the ascending route Ali Razan had taken with his companion. The pair began their climb from the Dipajaya basecamp in Pemalang regency on 27 December.
The recovery was fraught with difficulty. Ali Razan's remains were discovered near post 9 on the trail, at the base of a slope on the mountain's southern flank, at 10.49am local time. Thick fog and poor weather conditions prevented immediate evacuation, forcing teams to wait until the following morning to move the body.
It was eventually evacuated from a 20-metre ravine and brought to the Mount Malang basecamp by approximately 2.30pm local time on Thursday. Budiman, a rescue official, noted the body was still intact, aiding identification. The hospital is expected to formally announce the official cause of death.
Final Hours of the Trek
The tragic sequence of events began when Ali Razan and his friend, Himawan Haidar Bahran, were last together on 28 December. The duo stopped at post 5 after Haidar Bahran suffered a cramp and could not continue. Ali Razan decided to descend to seek help, instructing his friend to wait at the post. He never returned.
Haidar Bahran eventually proceeded to post 9, located at an altitude of 3,183 metres and just a few hundred metres from the summit, where he remained until a volunteer team found him on the morning of 30 December and escorted him to safety. Local media reports indicate Ali Razan's body was found not far from where his friend had been waiting.
