Mt. Merapi climbers found

PADANG, West Sumatra: After nearly a one-week search, rescue workers discovered on Monday all 12 young mountain climbers who had been missing on Mount Merapi for 10 days.

A rescue team member, Sony, told The Jakarta Post on Monday his squad evacuated three of the surviving students shortly after midnight. The survivors, identified as Jasarmen, Elza and Hendra, were then rushed to Bukittinggi Hospital.

Sony said evacuation of the remaining nine youths was underway.

But head of the local search and rescue board Yal Effendi refused to speculate about possible deaths. He said the condition of three of the nine climbers left on the volcano was "uncertain".

A rescue worker confirmed on Sunday that two of the climbers, identified as Ryan and Wati, both students of Batusangkar state high school, were found dead.

Effendi said evacuation would take time due to the difficult terrain and climate.

Local police chief Lt. Col. E. Siregar said 25 men with supernatural power had been called to help the rescue workers trace the climbers. (28)