Rokiah Mahmud

A day of hiking at Tasek Lama Recreational Park turned into an emergency situation for a family who ended up stranded on Bukit Sarang Helang last weekend.

The Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) said teams from the Bandar Seri Begawan Fire Station and Special Squad were called to the scene for two adults and four children who had wandered off the trail, lost in the dark.

Led by DSO Haji Md Yunus, the search-and-rescue teams trekked up the hill and finally located the family at 8.08pm, about 2.5km from the Tasek Lama parking area. No injuries were reported. The FRD is once again reminding the public not to hike in uncertain weather conditions, especially after 5.30pm.

“Avoid bringing young children deep into the forest, and learn to gauge your child’s abilities. Inform family members of your whereabouts and make sure to bring along a torch, whistle, mobile phone and sufficient water,” said the FRD in a statement.

In 2019, the Fire and Rescue Department received 21 emergency calls involving missing or stranded persons.