The lost hiking group was found by the Freeport Indonesia security personnel. One of the hikers had a foot infection and was rushed to the Mile 68 hospital for medical treatment.
Freeport Indonesia`s Vice President of Corporate Communications Daisy Primayanti said the climbers were en route to climb Mount Carstensz.
"One of them suffered minor injuries, and they decided to turn back through the Freeport work area," stated Daisy here on Monday.
Freeport Indonesia has facilitated logistical support for the group of climbers to descend from the plateau where they were found.
"Freeport Indonesia does not provide road access (entry clearance) through the company`s operations area to the Carstensz glacier for safety reasons," she said.
Military Commander XVII/Cenderawasih Major General (Maj.) TNI Christian Zebua confirmed that no one is being held hostage by Freeport Indonesia.
"Nobody is being held hostage. They were trespassing in the Freeport area. There is a new regulation that forbids people from passing through the company`s operations area to get to Carstensz," he explained.
According to the Commander, this hiking group got lost and entered the Freeport operations area; therefore, security personnel had to detain them but did not arrest them.
Previously, a rumor had been circulated that the nine foreign hikers had been arrested by the company for entering Freeport`s Grasberg area.
The nine foreign hikers are Michael Writh Fragata (44), Silfonsend (54), Mathius Hose (34) and Daniel Mayercof (45) from Switzerland; Frits Yacob (60) of Swistzerland; Frenhard Busch (61) from Germany; Aloius Fackh (52) from Austria; Mathius Fanderfueld (59) from Holland; and Elena from Mexico.
Elena is the hiker suffering from a foot infection; she is scheduled for evacuation to Denpasar, Bali, on Monday.
EDITED BY INE
(A050/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
