IPOH, June 6 (Bernama) -- Woman hiker Jaslinda Saludin, 49, who went missing for 14 days after she went on a hike at Gunung Batu Putih, near Tapah was found safe near Kampung Lubuk Geharu, Pos Musoh today by Orang Asli villager Nazri a/l Bah Eng at about 5 pm.
The following is a chronology of events from the day she went missing, May 23, until she was found today, June 6.
May 23
Jaslinda, with 13 other people and two forestry mountain guides start their Trans Spencer Chapman expedition at 2 am on the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.
At 10 pm, male hiker Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, 41, who suffered breathing problems and vomited, stops to rest at Kem Batu Kor with Jaslinda and a guide, while the others head to the mountain peak.
May 24
Jaslinda, who is believed to have also stopped to rest because of pain to her legs, carries on alone towards the mountain peak, with the guide stating that the last time he saw her was at about 7.30 am.
At 11.32 am, the Perak Fire and Rescue Department informs that they received an emergency call about two injured victims at Gunung Batu Putih, Tapah.
At 4 pm, the mountain guide states that he along with the male hiker were still at Kem Batu Kor, adding that he did not know Jaslinda’s current location and assumed that she had carried on towards the peak.
May 25
The Perak Fire and Rescue Department launches an operation to bring down Mohd Hanafi with the assistance of an Agusta 139 aircraft from the Bertam Air Base to the Bidor General Operations Force (GOF) 3rd Battalion Camp, and he safely arrives at 3 pm.
A search and rescue operation carries on looking for Jaslinda with a team of 12 Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team (STORM) members dispatched to the peak of Gunung Batu Putih.
Searchers also discover footprints along an area that was not the main hiking trail, which they suspect belong to Jaslinda.
May 26
The search continues with improved communications from SAPURA in the form of Government Integrated Radio Network (GIRN) at the incident control post at Surau At-Taqwa, Sultan Idris II Power Plant, Kuala Woh.
New leads are found, including the discovery of Jaslinda’s water bottle, supplements, footprints, and candy wrappers along the trail towards Gunung Rayu.
May 27
An eight-man operations team is dispatched to Bukit Berapit 2 at 9.15 am using an AW139 aircraft.
Operations continue to Kem Sukaneka, a five-hour trek, but searchers do not find any sign of Jaslinda, and spends the night at the search location at the peak of the hill.
May 28
The search, which entered the critical stage after 72 hours, is intensified with an additional 38 personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, the police, the GOF, the Forestry Department and forestry mountain guides in the areas of Kem Sukaneka and Gunung Rayu.
The search area is expanded and focused along Sungai Ayer Busok, as rescuers believe Jaslinda would be trying to look for water.
May 29
The Perak Fire and Rescue Department launches a drone to search for Jaslinda at slopes, banks and hard to access locations.
News surfaces about a message scrawled on the ground stating “HAFIZ AMBIK GAMBAR AKAK DH SAMPAI” indicated that Jaslinda had safely arrived at the peak of Gunung Batu Putih but it cannot be ascertained when the message was left.
A forestry mountain guide who acted as a sweeper for the Trans Spencer Chapman expedition discovered the message when they arrived at the peak at 10.45 am on May 24.
May 30
A wildlife camera trap captured footage of Jaslinda, confirming that she had headed towards Kem Sukaneka.
She was recorded crossing Camera 1 at 11.22 am, May 24, but she was not recorded heading back by the camera, while Camera 2 did not record any footage of the missing hiker on May 24 and 25.
May 31
The SAR team considers gathering additional personnel, while checks with a Forestry Department observation camera at Bukit Berapit 2 did not reveal any sign of the missing hiker.
Rescuers move to the location of observation cameras at Gunung Rayu to retrieve another memory card for analysis.
June 1
Eight GOF 3rd Battalion personnel from Bidor are flown to the search site for safety reasons after wildlife droppings were discovered in the area.
Searches are focused at Kem Kantoi till Gunung Rayu and are expected to use the services of Orang Asli villagers from Kampung Orang Asli Ampang Woh from tomorrow.
June 2
A team of 22 volunteers of the Semai tribe from Kampung Woh prepare to assist the search.
June 3
The search for Jaslinda is to be scaled down tomorrow, and be placed under the supervision of the Fire and Rescue Department.
The control post for the search at Surau At-Taqwa, Sultan Idris II Power Plant, Kuala Woh is closed.
June 4
An integrated control post at the Tapah Fire and Rescue Station is opened and those interested to join the search are required to apply before being screened.
The search is now focused based on new leads.
June 5
The Perak Forestry Department bans dayhikes and compressed hikes in risky hiking areas effective immediately.
June 6
Missing hiker Jaslinda is found safe near Kampung Lubuk Gaharu, Pos Musoh at about 5 pm.
-- BERNAMA
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