Hiker Mustaqqeem's Body Brought Down From Gunung Liang Summit This Afternoon

IPOH, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- The body of the hiker, Mustaqqeem Mansoor, 34, who was reported to have died on Gunung Liang, near Tanjong Malim yesterday, was brought down by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Air Unit team around 2.45 pm today.

Acting assistant director of Operations for the Perak Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said Mustaqqeem's body was brought down from the summit of the 1,933-metre-high mountain using an AW189 aircraft.

The helicopter carrying six crew members from the Fire and Rescue Department Central Region Air Base departed from the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) parade grounds around 2.30 pm, heading towards the summit of Gunung Liang.

"At 2.45 pm, the victim was successfully brought up to the aircraft using a winching technique and flown to the UPSI parade ground before the body was taken to Slim River Hospital for an autopsy," he said in a statement.

He said the first attempt to bring out the victim in the morning could not be carried out due to bad weather conditions, including rain and thick clouds around the mountain.

Meanwhile, operations commander Mohd Zairul Fahmi Mohd Nazari, when contacted, said two mountain guides remained at the peak to ensure the victim's body was safe while awaiting the arrival of the rescue team.

Mustaqqeem was found dead at 3.30 pm yesterday at the summit of Gunung Liang Barat after starting the ascent on Oct 10 from Bukit Fraser, Pahang, with 10 friends and last being seen on Oct 14.

-- BERNAMA