Two hikers remain missing

PADANG, West Sumatra: Bad weather on Wednesday hampered the search for two teenagers who went missing while hiking on Mount Marapi in Tanah Datar regency on Sunday.

An official from the Tabing Airport search and rescue team, Alfizan, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that heavy rain and fog had hampered the search for the past two days.

The two high school students -- Noviandri, 17, and Andre, 16, -- were reported missing a day after they began hiking up the 2,981-meter high mountain.

According to three friends who were also hiking up the mountain -- Firman, Yopi and Iwan -- the two took a separate route because they wanted to see edelweiss blossoms.

The three reported Noviandri and Andre missing after the two did not show up at the designated meeting point.(28)