Missing climber on Mt. Banahaw rescued after 24 hours

A mountain climber who was missing since Sunday after trying to climb Mount Banahaw in Quezon province was found and rescued Monday afternoon.

The climber, identified as Gina Gacutan, was suffering from dehydration and had cuts and bruises when she was found at 2 p.m., radio dzBB's Peewee Bacuño reported.

Volunteer rescue workers from Banahaw who found Gacutan near the mountain's crater said she appeared scared, the report said.

Gacutan was brought to the Dolores municipal health office and was to be transferred to a hospital for further treatment.

An initial investigation showed Gacutan was part of a group that climbed Banahaw Sunday morning, but she got separated from her companions.

The local Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Gacutan and her companions climbed the mountain without permission.

The report said climbing Banahaw was prohibited because the DENR was planting trees there.

Earlier, provincial disaster management officials said search teams had to cope with rainy weather in the area.

It was the second incident where a mountain climber got stranded in Luzon in the last two weeks. Last May 19, a Russian man defied warnings and climbed Mayon Volcano in Albay, and ended up injured and stranded.

Mark Yuchagaev, 28, was brought to a hospital in Legazpi City in Albay aboard a helicopter on May 23. He climbed Mayon despite warnings from residents, got lost and injured his leg.

Last May 7, Mayon had a steam-driven eruption that killed a Filipino tourist guide and four Europeans. — KBK/HS, GMA News