KBRN, Mimika: Two Indonesian middle-aged climbers, Lilie Wijayanti Poegiono (60) and Elsa Laksono (60), died during their descent from the Carstensz Pyramid in Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province.

The two climbers, from Jakarta and Bandung, were reported dead on Friday, February 28, 2025, while on the Carstensz Pyramid.

The climbers reportedly died due to a drastic drop in body temperature, potentially leading to fatal hypothermia, as a result of difficulties adapting to the low oxygen pressure at the summit.

Papua Police Public Relations Head Sr. Com. Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo confirmed the incident of two climbers dying from hypothermia in Carstensz National Park last Friday.

The tragic incident is strongly suspected to have been caused by Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), a condition that often plagues climbers at extreme altitudes.

Benny detailed the initial chronology: On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 9.50 a.m. local time, the climbers flew from Timika Airport to Yellow Valley using a PT. Komala Indonesia AS 350 B3 helicopter (PK-KIE).

"On Friday, February 28, 2025, the climbers crossed the Tyrolean bridge. Information from climbers Octries Ruslan and Abdullah, who had successfully descended, said that everyone had reached the summit. However, two people, Indira and Saroni, experienced AMS symptoms in the area below the summit (big terrace), while the guest team and guides were before the Tyrolean bridge," he said, rri.co.id reported.

Benny also reported that climber Nurhuda arrived at the base camp alone with hypothermia symptoms and immediately requested assistance from the team at the base camp because the radio was off.

Guide Yustinus Sondegau went up to provide emergency assistance (sleeping bag, fly sheet, hot water, radio).

"Quickly, an international guide, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, went up to assist. Climber Poxy informed us that Dawa had contacted the base camp and had met and attended to one of the women," he added.

Furthermore, Benny added that climber Dawa tried to assist the two women climbers on Terrace Two who were experiencing AMS.

"Unfortunately, climber Octries informed climber Deshir that the two women on Terrace Two had died. Climber Huda went back up to Terrace Two to try to help climber Egi and the others on Summit Ridge," he explained.

Climber Huda then communicated and reported that he was at the base camp and could no longer proceed to the positions of Egi, Indira, and Saroni. At the same time, emergency supplies were stored below the summit ridge.

"The three climbers experiencing AMS have now been moved to the Yellow Valley base camp, while efforts are still being made to evacuate the two bodies, Elsa Laksono and Lilie Wijayanti Poegiono, to the Yellow Valley base camp," Benny concluded.

Subsequently, PT. Tropic Cartenz Jaya, the official sponsor, has communicated and cooperated with the police and Timika Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to evacuate the deceased using Komala and Intan Angkasa helicopters from Timika to Yellow Valley and back to Timika on March 2, 2025.

Information received by RRI mentioned that the two bodies had been evacuated to Timika and were being held at Mimika Regional General Hospital.

The bodies are scheduled to be flown to Jakarta on Monday, March 3, 2025. ***