A Russian national has been rescued after he got lost during a hike up Sang Hyang Mountain, prompting authorities to caution hikers from going solo.
The foreigner, identified as 27-year-old Igor by the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) in Bali, was first reported missing in the early hours of Monday.
According to a statement issued by the agency, Igor and two of his friends went to hike Sang Hyang on Sunday at 8am. However, after about 1.5 kilometers up the mountain, his friends said they were too exhausted to carry on and decided to return to their accommodation in Gianyar regency, arriving at about 2pm.
“According to the report, [Igor] texted them at about 5pm telling them he’s reached the mountain peak, but that he didn’t know how to get back down,” Head of Basarnas Bali, Gede Darmada, said.
Authorities launched a search for Igor a couple hours after receiving the report yesterday, and managed to safely locate him at 1,880 meters above sea level at around 6:15pm. He was then guided back down to a local police station.
According to Gede, a notable characteristic of Sang Hyang is its thick vegetation, especially during the rainy season. Authorities say hikers shouldn’t go solo, suggesting that they should be fully equipped with hiking gears and have a guide with them.
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