Smoke Signal Leads Rescuers To 6 Missing Hikers In Dense Mountain Forest

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Six people, including a family of four and two mountain guides, have been found safe after being reported missing during a trek into the forests between Kelantan and Perak

According to Malay Mail, the group was located and brought out of the forest by a search and rescue (SAR) team at around 8.45pm on Monday evening, 7 September.

The six are Wan Ahmad Aslam, 39, his wife Siti Zulaiha Norizan, 39, their children Diya Raisha, 13, and Ahmad Raef, 9, as well as mountain guides Shafiee Sidek, 49, and Hazman Mamat, 43.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Sayani Saidon said the group was located after an aerial survey spotted their smoke signals

According to Berita Harian, an aerial survey spotted smoke signals from the dense forest, helping rescuers pinpoint the group's location.

The group had also reportedly made contact with the Forestry Department at around 5.15pm on Monday — their first contact with the authorities since Thursday, 3 September — and informed officials that they were safe.

They were believed to be about an hour's journey from Kem Kulim, which is around three to four hours from Pos Kemar, where they were originally scheduled to exit the forest.

Gerik district police chief Supt Abdul Samad Othman said the SAR team brought all six hikers out from Kem Kulim before arriving at Kampung Lelar at around 8.45pm.

"All the victims are currently receiving treatment at the Pos Kemar Klinik Kesihatan and are in good condition without any injuries," he said in a statement yesterday.

The group had been missing since Thursday

The six entered the forest on 29 August via the Trans GBB route in Gua Musang, Kelantan, and were scheduled to exit through Pos Kemar in Perak on 3 September.

However, they failed to emerge from the forest as scheduled, prompting a missing persons report to be lodged with the authorities.

A search and rescue operation was subsequently launched to locate the group, with rescuers using helicopters to survey the mountainous terrain.