Intense Search Underway On Bali’s Mount Agung As Tourist Goes Missing

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An intensive search is underway on Bali’s Mount Agung after a South Korean tourist has been reported missing.

The hiker, known by his initials KDO, aged 31, is believed to have embarked on the trail up Bali’s highest peak without a local guide or hiking group.

The Denpasar Search and Rescue Office is coordinating a search and rescue mission on Karangasem’s Mount Agung. The units responded to a call from the South Korean Consulate on Wednesday, 1st January.

Speaking to reporters, the Head of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, I Nyoman Sidakarya, explained that KDO was last known to have contacted his friend in South Korea at 09.00 WITA. “He reported his position at an altitude of around 2,000 meters above sea level.”

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It has also been confirmed that the rental motorbike used by KDO was found parked at Pura Pasar Agung where the trail to the summit starts. However, there have been no reports from witnesses who saw him park up or start out on the trail.

Sidakarya confirmed that on 2nd January at 13:20 WITA, 23 local guides were deployed via the Pasar Agung Selat route, while four others started the search from the Pasar Agung Bebandem route. 

He noted, “We divided the team into two SRUs (Search and Rescue Units) to maximize the search.”

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The Denpasar Search and Rescue Office is working with the South Korean Consulate to gather more information about KDO that could support the search and rescue team.

Additional personnel from the Karangasem Search and Rescue Post, totaling eight people, joined the effort later on Thursday afternoon.

An additional team consisting of five SAR personnel, three local guides, and two officers from the Karangasem Natural Disaster Unit began climbing from Pasar Agung Sebudi. The search process now involves the Selat Koramil and Selat Police.

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Sidakarya confirmed that the search will continue until the foreigner is found. “All resources are being mobilized to ensure his safety. Up to now, additional information is urgently needed.”

Tourists planning on hiking either Mount Batur or Mount Agung are advised to proceed with the utmost caution, especially during the monsoon season.

This is the second major search mission on Mount Agung this week. On 28th December, hiker Ridho Adi Yudistira was found at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level with a broken left thigh and ribs after he slipped and fell into a ravine.

The 2-day search mission involved dozens of officers, and Yudistira is considered lucky to be alive.

It is essential that tourists hire a local guide to lead them in exploring the trails on Mount Agung and Mount Batur.

In almost all cases of tourists getting lost, injured, or even losing their lives on Bali’s mountainsides, the individuals in question have embarked on the trails without a guide and without sufficient knowledge of the route or conditions along the path. 

While both Mount Agung and Mount Batur are incredibly popular hiking routes, this does not mean that the trails are easy and safe. Long stretches of the trail are unmarked, and there is very little signage along the route.

Cloud cover can roll in within a matter of seconds, making it impossible to gather your bearings. It is also a requirement, in local law, that tourists must have a qualified guide to lead them along these routes.

As the worst rainy season in recent history is hitting Bali, tourists are urged to be increasingly risk-averse, especially when it comes to adventurous activities such as hiking and trekking.

Over the last few weeks, many hikes have been canceled due to the conditions on the mountainsides.

Heavy and seemingly never-ending rains have turned many hiking routes into muddy quagmires, and strong storm winds have made conditions on the slopes increasingly dangerous. 

Tourists planning to hike Mount Agung, Mount Batur, or any of Bali’s major peaks are advised to book a local and experienced guide and to honor the advice of local park wardens and disaster management agencies should trips be canceled or postponed due to the weather and conditions on the trail.