REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- Efforts of the Search and Rescue (SAR) Team that is trying to locate a missing person who reportedly fell into a Mount Merapi crater were hampered by conditions around the mount, an official said.
Poisonous gases from the crater and the unstable ground around the mount's peak are holding back the search and rescue efforts.
"Poisonous gases from the crater, the temperature around it and the unstable ground are making it difficult to carry out the rescue efforts," Head of the Geology Office of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resource Surono said here on Monday (18/5).
The rescue team has identified the position of the victim with the help of a camera attached to a quadcopter.
Yunanto, the victim, slipped and fell 300 meters deep into the crater.
"If the temperature of the crater reaches 200 degree Celsius, it will prove perilous for the rescue team to climb down the crater," Surono pointed out.
Surono urged the rescuers to wear masks to protect themselves from the poisonous gases and to be extra cautious during the search.
The SAR Team has been looking for a student of Atmajaya University who went missing after reportedly falling into a crater of Mount Merapi in Boyolali district, Central Java province.
Commander of the Boyolali SAR Team Kurniawan Fajar noted that the team's search and rescue mission for 21-year-old Yunanto, a resident of Kampung Mbiru, Sleman district, Yogyakarta, began at 9 a.m. local time on Sunday.
The search involved hundreds of volunteers from Boyolali, Klaten, Solo and Yogyakarta.
Yunanto was reported to have fallen into the volcano's crater on Saturday, May 16, at around 11 a.m.
The search and rescue operation demanded extra caution as the terrain at the peak was challenging and risky with slopes at approximately between 70 and 90 degrees, Kurniawan stated.
Moreover, Chief of the Selo Sector Police Office Adjunct Commissioner Yadiyo revealed that the victim was hiking on Mount Merapi with five of his friends.
They began their journey from the Dukuh Plalangan route in Lencoh Selo village of Boyolali on Friday at around 10:30 p.m.
The hikers arrived at Post II in two separate smaller groups.
While three of them set up the tents, the others continued their journey to Pasar Bubrah.
With two of his companions, the victim arrived at Pasar Bubrah on Saturday at around 3:30 a.m.
After resting at Pasar Bubrah, Yunanto and one of his friends hiked to the peak, while the other stayed back at the tent.
The two arrived at Garuda Peak at 11 a.m. and managed to take some photographs.
However, during the descent, Yunanto slipped and fell into the southern part of the crater.
His friend climbed down to Post II to ask the other climbers for help and reported the incident to New Selo Base Camp.
"The SAR Team could not begin the search until Sunday morning as the location was unsafe and it was not possible to carry out the operation at night," Yadiyo said.
Furthermore, Surono added that although the volcano was on normal status, climbers are only allowed till the Pasar Bubrah post and not permitted to reach the summit.
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