Bondowoso, E Java (ANTARA News) - Rescuers on Tuesday found eight climbers who were reported missing during a hiking trip to the Mount Raung in East Java.

The eight climbers, freezing and exhausted, were found by the joint Search and Rescue team from Jember and the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency of Bondowoso early morning on Tuesday.

All the climbers, who had started their trek on Saturday (Feb 6), survived, though one of them suffered a blistering leg.

"They lost their way due to bad weather at the peak of the mountain during their descent. They also ran out of food, and one of them fell sick due to the extreme cold," a rescuer from Jembers SAR team, Jefri, said.

The eight climbers are second grade students of two senior high schools in Jember, namely SMAN 4 and SMAN 1.

After receiving reports from the parents of the missing climbers, the rescue team started the search on Tuesday at 00.00 a.m.

"We found them along Pondok Motor (route), about six hour journey from the base," Jefri said.

The eight students had left Jember on Saturday (Feb 6) and started the climb on Sunday (Feb 7) through the Pondok Motor route in Sumber Wringin Subdistrict.

The 3,332-meter high Mount Raung is one of the most active volcanoes on the island of Java in Indonesia.

The volcano had erupted on July 5, 2015, spewing plumes of smoke, incandescent cinder and lava.

Its volcanic ash had also disrupted hundreds of flights in the region last year.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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