SAR Team Searches For 2 Missing Climbers In Bandung Skull Valley

The joint SAR team while searching for two climbers who were declared missing in the Skull Valley, West Bandung Regency, West Java, Friday (17/10/2025). ANTARA/HO-Basarnas Bandung

The joint SAR team searched for two climbers who lost contact on the Valley of Skull climbing route, Bukit Tunggul area, Lembang District, West Bandung Regency, West Java.

Head of the Bandung SAR Office, Ade Dian Permana, said that his party had immediately dispatched a rescue team since Thursday night to search for the two climbers.

"We received a report and immediately deployed personnel to assist in the search at the location," said Ade as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, October 17.

Ade said the two victims who were reported missing were each named Deden Yudi (42) and their son Zaizafan Dhiya (19).

Both are known to have left for climbing activities since Wednesday (15/10) morning at around 06.30 WIB with plans to travel back and forth on the same day.

However, until Thursday (16/10) night, both of them did not return home, so the family and the manager of the Lembah Skull basecamp reported the incident to the officers.

He said the initial search had been carried out by the basecamp team through the main route, but no sign of the victim's whereabouts had been found.

According to him, today's SAR operation was focused on two main routes, namely the Bukit Tunggul route and the Lembah Skull route by conducting a sweep around the victim's last position with a radius of up to three kilometers.

"The team will look for initial clues in the form of footprints, luggage, and other signs that can lead to the victim's position," he said.

In addition to ground sweeping, the SAR team also used visual observation methods and air monitoring with the help of UAV drones to expand the observation area in hilly areas and dense forests that are difficult to reach.

"The field conditions are quite challenging with tight vegetation and steep contours, so we rely on interposal coordination and air monitoring to speed up the search process," said Ade.