Regent's entourage lost in forest

Regent's entourage lost in forest

PADANG, West Sumatra: Rescue workers have found the entourage
of some 100 people of Solok Regent Gamawan Fauzi in the forested
areas along Batang Anai River, after they went missing on
Wednesday.

The search and rescue team reportedly first made contact with
Gamawan through a police radio at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and
instructed the regent to follow the river, which would lead them
to the Asam Pulau Lubuk area. A number of rescue workers followed
the stream from the opposite direction and met Gamawan's group
halfway through the jungle.

One of the rescue workers, Imron Khairi, said the group were
exhausted and hungry but were all in fine condition.

The regent, along with eight district chiefs and about 100
others, including six women, set out on foot to follow the route
that independence fighters once took.

The event, arranged to commemorate Aug. 17 Independence Day,
brought the group from the western coast of Singkarak Lake in
Solok, through the mountainous areas of Bukit Barisan, and
finally to reach Lubuk Minturun in Padang. The route covers about
60 kilometers.

They were scheduled to spend the night in the forest, and
reach the final destination on Thursday evening.

It was later discovered the entourage had been separated into
two. The other group, consisting of 12 people, was still missing.

Search efforts were to continue on Saturday. (28/06)