Rescue team tracks down missing mountaineer in Banahaw

Mt. Banahaw. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The woman mountaineer from Quiapo, Manila, who was reported missing by two other mountaineers on Sunday afternoon was found by a search and rescue team on Monday.

Senior Insp. Alejandro Onquit, Dolores police chief in Quezon province, said the mountaineer just got lost.

According to him, Niña Gacutan, a call center agent living in Manila, was found at 3:05 p.m. Monday by police and rescue volunteers “safe but hungry and with bruises on her legs.”

Onquit said Gacutan was first reported missing to the Dolores police on Sunday afternoon by two other fellow mountaineers, Artemio Lago and Noel Ong.

They said they lost Gacutan on Saturday morning as they were on their way down from Durungawan crater atop Mount Banahaw.

Lago and Ong said they searched for Gacutan until Saturday evening but failed to find her.

The three climbed Banahaw on Thursday (May 23) and were guided by Roberto Viaro, a mountaineer and resident of San Pablo City.

“Because of a sprained foot, she was unable to keep pace with her fellow mountaineers and got lost. She was forced to stay inside a cave on Saturday night,” said Onquit.

One of the volunteer mountaineers who joined the rescue team, Protestant Pastor Noel Suministrado, said in a phone interview that Gacutan was with another group of mountaineers when found.

On Sunday morning, Gacutan met another group of mountaineers, which decided to go down only on Monday afternoon.

Originally posted: 6:17 pm | Monday, May 27th, 2013