Teen Hiker Missing at Kawah Ijen Found Safe After 30 Hours Trapped on Cliff
BANYUWANGI, Friday (20/2/2026) — Muhammad Dzikri Maulana (16), a teenager from Tamansari Village, Licin District who went missing at the Kawah Ijen Nature Tourism Park (TWA), was successfully found safe by a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team on Thursday (19/2) at approximately 4:16 PM WIB. The victim was located after more than 30 hours missing, trapped on a cliff at a 6.7-degree gradient, around 890 meters from the last location he was seen.
Timeline of Dzikri’s Disappearance
The incident began on Wednesday (18/2) at around 2:00 AM WIB, when Dzikri hiked with four friends from the same Islamic boarding school. They split into two groups: three entered via the trolley route, while Dzikri and two friends were accompanied by a guide named Dedi. After reaching the crater area, all five teenagers rested at the junction leading to the crater and sunrise point. However, when they prepared to continue their journey, Dzikri was no longer at the location.
His four friends descended and arrived at Paltuding Post around 8:00 AM WIB but did not report the matter to security personnel. Search operations only commenced after Dzikri’s family reported that he had not returned home.
Search Operations Amid Extreme Weather
The first day of searching on Wednesday afternoon was hindered by thick fog and bad weather, forcing the team to temporarily halt operations. On the second day, the joint SAR team—comprising military, police, regional disaster management agency (BPBD), volunteers, and local residents—split into two Search and Rescue Units (SRU) to expand coverage.
SRU 1 combed the hiking trail from Paltuding Post to the summit over a 3.6-kilometer stretch, while SRU 2 focused on the area around the incident site using an open grid pattern covering one square kilometer. Despite overcast skies and light rain, the team maximized technology such as thermal drones to detect human body heat through dense vegetation, along with jungle and vertical rescue equipment to reach hazardous cliff areas.
Found Behind Dense Vegetation, Dramatically Evacuated
Dzikri was found weak from exhaustion, dehydration, and cold temperatures. His body was hidden behind cantigi shrubs and mountain ferns, requiring officers to work extra hard to reach his location. “Thank God, he was still conscious and even asked for a cigarette,” said one SAR officer who first located the victim, as quoted from kabarbanyuwangi.info.
After providing initial first aid with water and fruit, the team carried out an evacuation using vertical rescue techniques due to the steep and slippery cliff terrain. The victim was safely lowered to Paltuding Post around 5:50 PM WIB and later transported by ambulance to Licin Community Health Center for further medical treatment. The SAR operation officially concluded at 6:00 PM WIB.
Safety Advisory for Hikers
Head of Banyuwangi SAR Office, I Made Oka As Tawa, emphasized the importance of complying with safety procedures when hiking. “This serves as a reminder for all hikers to stay with their group, never wander off alone, monitor weather conditions before and during the hike, and immediately report emergencies to authorities,” he stated.
Dzikri’s safe recovery brought collective relief after a challenging search process in Kawah Ijen’s extreme terrain.
that why we recomend to take a tour guide or book a package in kawah ijen during your tour it cost a small amount of money but safe your life
