"We were informed that the SAR team had discovered footprints in Boto, estimated to be of 43-44 shoe size, believed to be belonging to the missing hiker from Switzerland," said a member of National SAR team, Prahista, in Lumajan, East Java on Wednesday.
The SAR team followed the traces, hoping to find the missing mountaineer. Fresh footprints indicated that he was constantly on the move along the highest hiking route in Java, 3,676 meters above sea level.
"Our team has swept the area and is making maximum efforts to find the survivor. Hopefully we will be able to find the Swiss hiker soon," he stated.
However, after eight days of search along both Tawon Songo and Ranu Pani routes, there were no significant results yet.
"It has been raining for the last few days and things could be challenging for the search team at times," he noted.
On June 10, the team had carried out a search along the Tawon Songo route and found identical footprints along with a rope hook, believed to belong to Lionel Du Creaux at the point B area. It is located at coordinate point 08 degrees, 4 16.1 South and 112 degrees, 57 16.1 East.
However, they were not able to find Du Creaux despite following the traces.
Head of Bromo National Park Maintenance Budi Mulyanto had previously disclosed that the Swiss Consulate had appealed that the rescue team must continue its search efforts.
"A representative from the Swiss Consulate went to Ranu Pani post to personally urge that search efforts be continued until the survivor is found. They are willing to provide logistical help," he explained.
The hiker from Switzerland, 26-year-old Lionel Du Creaux, was pronounced missing when he was to have illegally hiked mount Semeru. The incident was reported by his partner, Alice Guignard, to Ranu Pani post officers on June 7.
Both Du Creaux and Guignard had illegally hiked the highest mountain in Java on June 3, as they had not registered themselves and had not purchased an entrance ticket that would have permitted them to hike mount Semeru.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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