Four foreign hikers who had been missing for several days in the mountains of Negros Oriental were successfully rescued this Saturday, according to local authorities. A day earlier, two of their companions were also found safe.
The six hikers, from Germany, Britain, Russia, and Canada, set out on Wednesday for a 4-hour hike but were stranded due to heavy rain and zero visibility.
According to a Facebook post, the last four hikers were found around 9:44 AM (0144 GMT) near the Hydropower Plant in Silab, Amlan, near Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park.
The four found were Aldwin Fink (60) and Wolfgang Schlenker (67) from Germany, Anton Chernov (38) from Russia, and a 50-year-old Canadian named Terry.
According to the Amlan Rescue Office, hikers are currently being taken down from the mountain.
In photos released by local police, a hiker with a leg wound can be seen talking to rescuers inside an ambulance, and another wrapped in a blanket on a stretcher.
Two other companions, Torsten Martin Groschupp (58) and Alexander Radvanyi (63), were found earlier on Friday morning.
According to Dr. Sheryl, a local health officer, the hikers were not dehydrated because they had drunk water from the lake and one of them had more snacks.
Based on the police investigation, there is a strong possibility that they got lost due to bad weather and the difficult trail. They also did not have a guide for the climb.
According to Henry Japay, a police officer in Valencia, there was zero visibility due to the rain, so it is possible that the group stopped and sought shelter.
