Forest Hunter Missing in Sepaku, PPU Since Saturday as Joint Team Continues Search

A 40-year-old forest hunter named Rofik, a resident of RT 11, Telemow Village, Sepaku District, Penajam Paser Utara Regency (PPU), went missing in the forest area of PT International Timber Corporation Indonesia Kartika Utama (ITCI-KU) in Sepaku on Saturday, 23 May 2026, around 3:00 PM WITA. Nurlaila, the Head of the PPU Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), confirmed to Media Indonesia on Tuesday (26/5) that the hunter had gone missing, reportedly due to getting lost. “As of Tuesday, the second day of the search, the victim has not yet been found by the joint team comprising BPBD PPU, PPU Fire and Rescue Service (DPKP) Maridan Post, Bhabinkamtibmas, Maridan Police Post, Telemow Village Head, PT ITCI-KU, the Nusantara Capital City Authority, village officials, the victim’s family, and other locals,” she said. According to field reports, on Saturday afternoon, the victim and his friend Dewa went to set traps for wildlife in the forest at KM 41 within PT ITCI-KU’s forest management area. “On Sunday evening, 24 May 2026, Dewa informed the victim’s family from the location that Rofik was missing, and he had not been found by Monday morning,” Nurlaila added. Following the report, the victim’s family immediately notified the Maridan DPKP post and the police, after which the team went to the location to meet Dewa and confirm the information, which was verified as accurate. “The joint team has been searching and scouring the last known location of the victim since Monday, but has yet to find him,” she said. On the second day of the search, Tuesday morning, the team focused on expanding the search area on foot around the trapping site, approximately five kilometres from the main road. “The joint team is also conducting vehicle patrols along the main roads surrounding the forest area where the victim is believed to have gone missing,” Nurlaila said. Meanwhile, the team has also been conducting foot patrols deep within the forest to locate the nearest route to the victim’s last known position, but he remains missing despite the efforts. “Search operations were temporarily halted at 5:00 PM WITA due to deteriorating visibility in the forest and will resume on Wednesday (27/5). In addition to on-foot and vehicle patrols, motorbikes have been deployed in the search for the victim,” she concluded.