Hashers lose way in Brinchang

Hashers lose way, prompt rescue ops
Monday August 13, 2007

IPOH: What was supposed to be a simple daytime trek turned into a 17-hour ordeal for six Penangites when they got lost in the jungles of Brinchang, Cameron Highlands.

The team, all Hash House Harriers members aged between 41 and 54, entered the jungle from Kampung Sungai Ruil at 3pm on Friday and ex-pected to leave before nightfall.

Instead, they had to be rescued by a team of nine police personnel, se-veral forest rangers, orang asli and other villagers at 8am the next day.

All were unhurt. However, two fe-male members, known only as Ah Hoon, 41, and Chan, 47, had to be air-lifted out of the jungle by the Sungai Besi police air wing unit.

Cameron Highlands OCPD Deputy Superintendent Yahaya Othman said police received a report from one of the trekkers at about 11pm on Friday.

“After searching for hours, we found them near the river about 4km from the village,” he said, adding that the group got lost after mistaking the sounds of a river for the highway.

“They should have informed us before going into the jungle. All trek-kers should, especially if they are not familiar with the route,” he said.

However, team leader Goh Jin Poey insisted that the team had not gotten lost and had only underesti-mated the difficulty of the trek.

Goh, who left the group with another friend to get help that night, said the trail was short but the steep hill made it a problematic trek.

“We just had to stop because some were too exhausted to go on,” said Goh who conquered the same trail five years ago. -- The Star.