Rescuers carry injured mountaineer Noreen Grace Cañasa to safety. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GEOFFREY GUTIERREZ)
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental — Twenty-five female mountaineers were rescued from Tinagong Dagat in Barangay Campuestohan, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
The 25, coming from various parts of the country, were brought to safety about 8:30 a.m. on Sunday after a 14-hour rescue operation that was made treacherous by heavy rain, slippery terrain and zero visibility.
Geoffrey Gutierrez, Talisay City Rescue and Disaster Assistance Network (RADIANT), incident commander, said the women were experienced climbers who belonged to the Philippine Women’s Mountaineers.
The group sought help after Noreen Grace Cañasa, 33, of Cebu City, slipped on a stone and fractured her tibia bone located above her left ankle.
“The women trekkers were organized and are experienced but because of the heavy rains, the terrain became difficult to tackle causing one climber to slip and hit a big rock that fractured her tibia,” he said.
Gutierrez said RADIANT received the call for help on Saturday afternoon and formed a rescue team who proceeded to an area called “kulukabayo” in the mountains of Talisay where the climbers were stranded, about 5:30 p.m.
The site was just 20 kilometers from the base camp but it took the rescue group 14 hours to get back to base because of the tough terrain and the heavy rains.
The most difficult part was carrying the injured climber back to the command post, Gutierrez said.
The rescue team and the women arrived at the base camp in Talisay about 8:30 a.m.
Aside from Cañasa, the other rescued climbers were Hyra de la Cruz, Charito Montealto, Gwendel Ave, Juoselle Sabbater, Jinky Alipon, Leizely Bersit, Aimee Unson, Claire Mae Lapidez, Nan Atok, Margie Sumbal, Analyn Maravilla, Karen Joy Chiva, Kristine Lazaga, Lyra Andam, Weng Pacaldo, Krista Vitos, Roma Realtor, Revie Realtor, Lynette Barrios, Mary Grace Gawan, Marvin Recto, Rose Diaz, and Hannah Chua. SFM