Thick fog forces overnight delay before helicopter airlifts injured Malaysian hiker from Mount Rinjani

JAKARTA, May 26 — A Malaysian woman who suffered serious injuries after falling while descending Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Bali.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) in a statement said the hiker was safely rescued on Tuesday morning after bad weather delayed rescue operations overnight.

The agency said the woman suffered serious injuries that left her unable to move and was initially evacuated by porters and tour guides to Pelawangan 2, Sembalun, before rescue personnel arrived at the scene.

“Responding to the report received on Monday, rescue personnel from the Kayangan rescue post and the Mataram Search and Rescue (SAR) Office were immediately deployed to the location. To accelerate the evacuation process, a helicopter operated by PT SGi Air Bali was dispatched directly from Bali,” the agency said.

Head of the Mataram SAR Office, Muhamad Hariyadi, who served as SAR Mission Coordinator, said the air evacuation had to be postponed earlier, due to thick fog and poor visibility in the mountain area, and only resumed after visibility was declared safe.

“After evacuation preparations were completed, the victim was immediately transferred into the helicopter, which took off from Pelawangan 2 for Bali at 8.17 am local time.

“The helicopter landed at the Benoa helipad in Bali at 9.05am local time, and the victim was referred to Inmedika Sanur Hospital in Bali for further medical treatment,” he said. — Bernama

المصدر: Malay Mail