French tourist missing in Aceh forest

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Central Aceh Police are searching for a French tourist and his local guide missing for five days on Mount Hujan, Jagong Jeget district.

Another guide, M. Gade, told police his colleague, Joko, and the French national, identified only as John, had not been seen since the trio set out to climb the mountain Wednesday, local police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rachmad Adikusumo said Monday.

“We have been searching for the two in the forest, but have been unable to locate them so far,” Rachmad told The Jakarta Post.

Mount Hujan is surrounded by dense, pristine rainforests that are rarely visited by residents.

Rachmat said John was allegedly a journalist researching the area, but had only a tourist visa and did not report his presence to local authorities.

“We never received a report on the French tourist’s presence in Central Aceh. We do not even know where he was staying,” Rachmat said. — JP