Home Press Corner Bruno Manser Fonds Heuberg 25 4051 Basel Switzerland phone +41 61 261 94 74 fax +41 61 261 94 73 info@bmf.ch updated 2001-01-31

Basel, 31 January 2001 - Attachment 3 Press Release Report on search operation for Bruno Manser on the mountain "Batu Lawi", Borneo, Malaysi. carried out by Swiss mountain guide Dario-Andri Schwoerer I. Difficulties ·Main monsoon season: it rained daily. The cliffs of Batu Lawi were wet. Dry conditions needed for a search operation lasting several days cannot be expected during this season. Unpredictable logging activities at the foot of Batu Lawi. II. Luck during search with helicopter on Christmas Eve ·There were only 50 minutes of ideal visibility and weather conditions on the mountain, being sufficient for a systematic search. ·We could carry out a search independent of the climbing conditions. ·As the loggers were not working on the 24.12.2000, the helicopter flight could take place without drawing attention. ·The helicopter's tank was large enough to carry out the flight from Miri without having to make a landing, with a possible bad surprise in store. III. Sequence of events ·Rain until morning; the pilot was very sceptical as to visibility around Batu Lawi at 8 a.m.; thinks that one should fly during August/September if one wanted to be sure to see something. ·Discussion of the search flight between the pilot and the mountain guide. Definition of hand signals for faster communication. ·9 a.m.: weather improves and we can even see Mt. Mulu from the heliport in Miri, at a distance of approx. 50 km in the direction of Batu Lawi. The pilot became very optimistic. He said that this happened very rarely at this time of year and thought it was now possible that Batu Lawi was also free of fog. ·9.30 a.m.: direct start to Batu Lawi, approx. 90 km away; cruising speed 100 knots. As landing in Long Seridan in order to wait for a break in the weather became unnecessary thanks to the ideal conditions, the duration of the flight to the mountain was only 55 minutes. This enabled us to make a search flight with super conditions lasting 50 minutes. As we carried enough fuel it was possible to fly our search route four times until we had to fly back to our base in Miri, arriving after 55 min. in the rain with a descending cloud cover. According to the weather conditions it was really Christmas!

IV. Results of the search operation

·NNW ridge = easiest ascent route, over 1 km long; search made directly above bush cover; lower part flown over thoroughly 1x, upper part 2x. Conclusion:
nothing, also no possibility or danger of falling.

·NNW summit ridge = key spot, flown over thoroughly 3x: nothing; also flew over the varves below where Bruno would have to lie after a fall. Conclusion: nothing. In addition, the ..........rope??? from the first ascent by the British which Bruno reportedly had used in his descent in the late 1980ies was not visible.

·3 hovering flights 1 to 3 m above the summit. Conclusion: nothing, no human traces such as summit markings, etc..

·SSE ridge, steep drop down to a pass, 15 m below the summit: Abseil-site with rope (white, approx. 7 mm thick, 30 m long, the end hanging loosely, with "violet" loop anchoring). We flew over this spot 4 x. We had a good view of the hanging part of the rope and also flew over this part several times. Conclusion: nothing. As Bruno did not take along a rope this must have been the rope of the climbers of the first ascent.

·Systematic search at minimal distance to the mountain flank in all 4 compass directions with special emphasis on certain layers as potential sites for a fall after a preliminary overview had been made of that flank. Thanks to the use of a helicopter, potential sites for traces could be viewed from various perspectives (from above and side) and at various distances from the mountain.

·The search procedure was carried out in a grid pattern: first the foot of the mountain incl. the ridge, then the top of the mountain incl. summit ridge, then 1/3 of the height of the mountain incl. key spot were flown over horizontally. Subsequently the four flanks were searched vertically, where potential sites for a fall were followed, then once again the end of the rope, the summit region incl. anchoring of the rope were flown over. Conclusion: nothing.

V. Final comments

·Under ideal conditions and an efficient search lasting 50 min. with a helicopter no evidence of a fall during a climb up Batu Lawi could be found.

·There were no traces of an ascent on the summit (stone heap, upright stick, kerchief as flag, etc.).

·The systematic search of possible sites for a fall, i.e. vertically from the potential spot for a fall over layers and terraces down to the foot of the mountain revealed no evidence of a climbing accident.

·The only human sign is the abseil-site which, however, only means that somebody has successfully climbed up Batu Lawi.

CONCLUSION:

Bruno Manser has most probably NOT had a climbing accident on Batu Lawi. A more efficient search than this one per helicopter is hardly possible.

needed for a search operation lasting seve foot of Batu Lawi.