31 Mount Bawakaraeng Climbers Evacuated After Suffering Hypothermia and Injuries
A surge in participants for the Red and White flag-raising ceremony at the summit of Mount Bawakaraeng in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi, has triggered a safety alert. As of Tuesday (18/8/2026), the Red and White SAR Standby Team reported handling 31 climbers who experienced acute health problems amid extreme weather conditions.
The climbers’ conditions were dominated by symptoms of hypothermia due to air temperatures reaching freezing point. In addition, the medical team also treated participants suffering from asthma attacks, severe exhaustion, and physical injuries. The figure of 31 people is recorded as the highest number of health disturbances throughout this year’s standby period.
As of Tuesday morning, teams in the field were still struggling to evacuate one climber trapped on a steep path around Pos 7 Lembanna due to a severe knee injury. The rocky terrain and piercing cold temperatures were the main challenges in the rescue process.
Rescue Commander Darul explained that most of the victims were successfully brought to the Bulubalea Post to receive intensive treatment from the joint medical team. Some of them even had to be referred to the Tinggi Moncong Community Health Centre for further treatment.
“The steep and rocky terrain conditions make the descent process slow. Officers must combine rope techniques and mutual cooperation, while continuing to monitor the condition of victims who are beginning to weaken due to pain and cold,” said Darul.
Based on registration data, the surge in cases is directly proportional to the overwhelming number of participants on four main routes, namely Bulu Balea, Tassoso, Kanreapia, and Lembanna, with a total reaching 3,786 climbers.
To anticipate further risks, a total of 295 joint personnel from Basarnas, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the National Police, and volunteers were stationed at eight strategic points, including Lembah Ramma and the summit of Bawakaraeng. In addition to evacuation, officers focused on managing the flow of climbers returning to prevent congestion on narrow paths that could potentially trigger new accidents.
Head of the Makassar Class A Search and Rescue Office, Muhammad Arif Anwar, emphasised that the safety operation would continue until all climbers were confirmed to have descended safely.
“We understand the euphoria of the Independence Day commemoration, but safety is the top priority. Our team remains on full alert until the final security deadline on 18 August 2026,” concluded Arif Anwar.