French tourist reported missing in Aceh forests

Central Aceh Police are searching for a French tourist and his local guide who have reportedly been missing on Mount Hujan in the Jagong Jeget district since Wednesday.

Another guide, M. Gade, had reported to police that his colleague Joko and the French national, identified only as John, had not been seen since the three set out to climb the mountain on Wednesday, local police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rachmad Adikusumo said Monday.

“We have been searching for the two in the forest, but have been unable to locate them so far,” Rachmad told The Jakarta Post.

Mount Hujan is surrounded by dense pristine rainforests that are rarely visited by the local community.

Rachmat said John was reportedly conducting a journalistic study of the area despite only holding a tourist visa and not having reported himself to the local authorities.

“We never received any report on the French tourist’s presence in Central Aceh. We did not even know where he was staying here,” Rachmat said.