Missing hiker left word she reached the summit, says guide

IPOH: Missing hiker Jaslinda Saludin, 49, left a sign to say she had reached the summit of Gunung Batu Putih near Tapah, a member of the search team said today.

The man, a member of the Perak Forestry Mountain Guide team, who wished to be known only as Hafiz, said he discovered the inscription when he arrived at the summit while serving as the rear guard, or “sweeper”, for the Trans Spencer Chapman hiking expedition.

“Yes, she (Jaslinda) reached the summit, but she did not leave any hint as to where she went or which trail she took. She only informed us that she had reached the top,” he told Bernama.

He said the inscription, which read “HAFIZ AMBIK GAMBAR AKAK DH SAMPAI” (Hafiz, take a photo, I’ve reached the summit), was left by the victim because her mobile phone battery had run out at an early stage of the hike.

“She probably reached the summit of Gunung Batu Putih at about 10am (on May 24). I arrived at around 10.45am and noticed the inscription at about 11am. So, she wanted to let me know that she had made it to the summit,” he said, adding that he subsequently took a photograph of the inscription on his mobile phone.

Rescuers have deployed an aerial drone to facilitate the search for Jaslinda, who has been missing since May 23 while hiking at the mountain.

Perak fire and fescue director Sayani Saidon said yesterday that the search would focus on the Sungai Ayer Busok area, believed to be the route taken by Jaslinda in seach of a water source.

Jaslinda was reported to have started the Trans Spencer Chapman hike with 13 other participants and two guides at 2am on May 23 via the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.

She was last seen by a guide at about 7.30am on May 24 while continuing her ascent to the summit of Gunung Batu Putih after stopping along the route with another hiker, Hanafi Neikmad, 41, who had reportedly experienced health problems during the hike.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today