SEBERANG PERAI, Jan 10 — The search and rescue operation for a 64-year-old hiker feared lost in the Cherok To’Kun Recreational Forest will continue at 8am tomorrow after a futile two-day search.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said Chuan Poeh Seng was reported missing at about 10.51am on Wednesday and a search and rescue operation was immediately launched.
Rescue personnel from the department, with the help of a police K9 unit, scoured the forest and trails both yesterday and today but still could not trace him.
“We conducted a size up on the location and divided the rescue team into six groups to continue the search today,” he said.
The search and rescue team, totalling 51 people, consisted of fire and rescue department officers, five Bukit Mertajam hikers, the police and its K9 unit.
He said the groups were split up to search several checkpoints along the hiking route but there was no trace of the missing hiker.
“We had to halt the search and rescue operation at 7pm as it was too dark to continue,” he said.
The search and rescue operation, led by Mohd Fauzi Suid, will continue at 8am tomorrow.
It was earlier reported that the man’s car was found at the carpark of the recreational forest and it was believed that he got lost while hiking up one of the forest trails.
