Mulu Cave flood: Dutch tourist dead, guide missing
Published on: Sunday, July 14, 2019
By: Bernama
MIRI: A tourist from Holland, Peter Hans Hoverkamp, 66, was found drowned in a river inside a cave in Mulu National Park on Saturday (July 13).
Roviezal Robin, 20, a local Sarawakian tour guide, is still missing.
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The tourist and the local guide were swept away in the Mulu Cave river in northern Sarawak, about 6pm on Friday (July 12), due to a sudden flash flood.
Eight other tourists are said to have escaped the floods that happened in Deer Cave.
Initial information said Hoverkamp was from Germany.
Miri Fire and Rescue Department Chief Supt Law Poh Kiong said Hoverkamp was found drowned.
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“The tourist is from Holland. His body was found at 6.40am inside the cave.
“The search for Robin is ongoing.
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The search team headed by Supt Law is made up of 16 members, including Sarawak Bomba’s Storm (special search-and-rescue unit) unit.
The police notified Bomba on the incident at 6pm Friday.
Bomba Miri also deployed a helicopter to the scene on Saturday morning.
Mulu is about 200km inland from Miri City.
Meanwhile, heavy downpour has forced the search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate a local tour guide reported missing after being swept away by strong currents at the Deer Cave, Mulu National Park, temporarily suspended at 3.22pm.
Miri Fire and Rescue Chief Law Poh Kiong said the search and rescue team to locate Roviezal Robin, 20, had left the Deer Cave following heavy rain Saturday.
“The search and rescue operation to locate the victim involved an area inside and also the entrance of the cave,” he said in a statement Saturday evening.
Law said the body of Peter Hans, 66, a Dutch tourist who was found at the Deer Cave river at 6.40am, was airlifted to the Miri Hospital using Miri Fire and Rescue’s Mi17 helicopter at 2.27pm.
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