KOTA KINABALU: Firemen have to carry a male climber who is suffering extreme cold down from the Panalaban base camp at Mount Kinabalu.
Ranau Fire and Rescue Services Department chief Ridwan Mohd Taib said a team of 10 from Mountain Search and Rescue (Mosar), led by Jayrell Tony, were dispatched to the location after receiving a distress call from a mountain guide at 2.55pm on Monday (June 24).
The Mosar team comprises off-duty mountain guides who work voluntarily for the department.
“The team arrived at the location five minutes later, as the base camp is just a kilometre from the Mosar station, and found the 34-year-old local man at the scene.
“He received initial treatment by the team,“ he said on Tuesday (June 25), adding that two Sabah Parks search and rescue team members were also involved in the operation.
Ridwan said the victim was carried down on a Robertson stretcher to the Timpohon Gate, the main starting point, before the Mount Kinabalu ascend.
“The victim was transported to the Ranau Hospital for further treatment,” he said, adding that the operation was called off at 9.20pm.
It is believed that the non-stop rain contributed to Mount Kinabalu’s cold weather.
The heavy rain over the last few days had also triggered at least two landslides on early Sunday (June 23).
