Climber dies on Mount Salak

CIANJUR, West Java: A 20-year old climber from Jakarta was found dead on Mount Salak in the West Java town of Sukabumi, local residents said on Thursday.

The body of Fajar Suhendra, a resident of Duren Sawit in East Jakarta, was discovered on Tuesday by a 35-year old local villager, Wawan, in the mountainous Cidahu area.

Residents suspected that Fajar died after inhaling poisonous gas from the Ratu cauldron located on top of the mount.

The victim's body was handed over to his family in Jakarta after undergoing an autopsy at Sekarwangi General Hospital in Sukabumi.

Environmentalists and climbers said that Mount Salak could be perilous for beginners who are unaware of certain dangerous areas on the 2,500 meter-high mountain. --Antara