Six hikers die on Mt. Rinjani

Six hikers die on Mt. Rinjani

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Six mountaineers were found dead
and six others are missing after a storm hit the 3,726-meter
Mount Rinjani, Antara reported.

All those killed were identified as coming from Lombok Island
and the missing mountaineers are from the West Java capital of
Bandung.

Search and Rescue officials said yesterday the six were
believed to have died between Friday and Saturday when a storm
swept across the mountain.

Oemar Haroen, a senior executive of the local chapter of
Amateur Radio Stations Association, said the bodies of the six
hikers had not been brought down due to the bad weather.

"It was extremely cold up there. It would need a helicopter to
bring the bodies down easily but unfortunately we don't have
one," he told Antara.

Mount Rinjani is a popular climb for both local and foreign
hikers. Many locals believe the water in its crater cures a
variety of illnesses. (pan)