A young hiker from Palembang City, Yudha Saputra (20), was reportedly successfully evacuated by a rescue team after being declared missing while hiking Mount Dempo in Pagar Alam City, South Sumatra. Yudha was found safe but suffered from severe exhaustion due to extreme cold temperatures in the mountainous area.
The incident began when the victim went hiking with four friends on Wednesday (7/8/2026). Yudha was reported separated from the main group and briefly communicated with his family at 21:00 WIB. In that last conversation, he admitted to being alone and cold before communication was lost because his mobile phone battery died.
The Dempo Volcano Registration Center (Brigade) team immediately conducted a search in the last reported location where the victim went missing. Yudha was eventually found on the Rimau trail, an inactive path usually reserved for evacuation purposes. Head of the Pagar Alam City Brigade, Dian Saputra, revealed that when found, the victim was in the forest in a very weak physical condition.
Based on the victim's account, he got lost after being led astray by a mysterious voice he thought came from his teammate. The sound actually led him further away from the official hiking trail, wandering deeper into the peak area. The Brigade emphasized that this incident serves as a reminder for all hikers to remain vigilant.
Dian Saputra once again urged people planning to hike to always thoroughly prepare their equipment and maintain close coordination with their team. Additionally, hikers are advised not to be easily influenced by unclear sources while in forest areas with challenging terrain.
