LThe remaining four foreign hikers who went missing in the mountains and forests of Valencia, Negros Oriental have been rescued. The four were discovered on March 22 near the Hydropower Plant in Barangay Silab, Amlan. | Photo by the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Authorities have successfully rescued all foreign hikers on Saturday afternoon, March 22, nearly three days after they went missing while trekking to Twin Lakes in San Jose, Negros Oriental.
Four of the six hikers were found at around 1 p.m. on Saturday near a hydroelectric power plant in Sitio Cantalina, Barangay Silab in the neighboring town of Amlan. They were identified as Wolfgang Schlenker, 67; Aldwin Fink, 60; and Terry, 50; and Anton Chernov, 38.
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Negros Oriental: 2 hikers rescued, search continues for 4 still missing
A team of rescuers from Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, the 11th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), the Bureau of Fire Protection in Central Visayas (BFP-7), and local volunteers located them and immediately provided medical attention, officials said.
Six foreign nationals embarked on a day hike on March 19 from Barangay Malabo, Valencia, with plans to reach the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes, a famous tourist spot in Negros Oriental.
However, they lost their way along the trail, prompting a large-scale search operation.
The first two hikers, identified as Alexander Radvanyi, 63, of the United Kingdom, and Torsten Martin Groschupp, 58, of Germany, were found on March 21 in Barangay Malabo.
Search efforts were initially hampered by poor weather conditions but continued the following morning.
Police Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said rescuers discovered the hikers’ footprints and a motorcycle near the trail.
Officials confirmed that all six hikers are in stable condition.
They were temporarily placed under the care of local authorities for medical assessment before being allowed to leave.
Rescue efforts
The search and rescue operations involved multiple agencies, including local police, disaster response teams, and community volunteers. Residents near the area also helped by reporting possible sightings and assisting in the search.
“The hikers got separated along the way, which made it more challenging to locate them,” Polinar said in Cebuano.
“Fortunately, our teams were able to track them down safely.”
The incident has raised concerns about safety protocols for foreign hikers in the region.
Local officials are now reviewing measures to improve trekking guidelines and ensure visitor safety in popular hiking destinations.
Further details on the hikers’ conditions and their planned return to their respective countries are expected in the coming days. /clorenciana