MANILA – A Belgian environmentalist and six Filipino trekkers were rescued in a daring operation involving two Philippine Air Force (Paf) helicopters in the mountain fastnesses of Isabela province in the Northern Luzon highlands, a Paf spokesman reported.
The spokesman said the Belgian national, identified as Bert Peeters, his five Filipino fellow trekkers and their guide from the Dumagat tribal group were plucked out from a mound of rocks amid the raging waters of a major river.
Except for Peeters who was suffering from fever and swollen legs, the rest of the group looked none the worse for their experience, according to the spokesman.
He said the group was reported missing in the virgin forests of the Sierra Madre mountain range since they left the capital city of Ilagan, Isabela province in the Northern Luzon highlands on January 13.
The spokesman said Peeters and his Filipino companions were among the increasing number of foreign and local tourists who have been lured by Isabela and neighboring provinces as emerging destinations for trekkers and mountaineers.
He added the group aimed to cross the Sierra Madre mountains from Ilagan City by trekking and go down the town of Divilican facing the Pacific Ocean.
Along the way, however, the trekkers said they tried but failed to cross a river which became swollen because of heavy rains.
As a result, they said they were forced to seek refuge on a mound of rocks as they waited for the strong currents to subside.
But because of the heavy rains, the trekkers said the river continued to swell and threatened their lives.
While in that desperate situation, they narrated that one of their two Dumagat guides volunteered to cross the river to seek help – and succeeded.
When informed of their plight, the spokesman said Paf authorities dispatched two helicopters from its Tactical Operations Unit based in a military camp located in Tarlac City, Tarlac province in Central Luzon.
Two hours after leaving the camp, the spokesman said the two helicopter pilots radioed that they already spotted the trekkers still trapped on the mound of rocks amid the still raging current of the river.
“The lead helicopter skillfully maneuvered to land in a very critical location and rescued the trekkers,†the spokesman said.
He added that despite their ordeal, the trekkers were undaunted and vowed to return to Isabela to finish what they started to do.
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