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)