Search And Rescue Mission Launched For Father And Son Missing In Besut Forest

JERTIH, Oct 17 – A joint search and rescue (SAR) operation is currently underway in Hulu Besut after a father and son were reported missing in the forest near the La Hot Spring recreational area after embarking on a trip to collect traditional medicinal roots.

Besut District Police Chief Supt Mohd Rozaime Ab Rahim identified the missing individuals as 25-year-old Adam Adnan and his 57-year-old father, Adnan Mohamad.

The two men, who reside in Kulim and Alor Setar, Kedah, had been staying at the Desa Landak Chalet in Kampung Padang Landak before trekking into the dense jungle around 7:00 AM on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Concerns mounted after the pair failed to return to their chalet, prompting family members to alert authorities when communications suddenly went dead.

“At about 3.30 pm yesterday, one of them contacted a family member and said they believed they were lost and could not find their way out of the forest,” Supt Mohd Rozaime told Bernama on Saturday morning.

Joint Emergency Response and Forest Grid Search

Emergency responders have mobilized ground teams across the La Hot Spring perimeter to locate the missing pair:

• Distress Call: One of the victims managed to contact a relative via phone at approximately 3:30 PM on Friday to report that they were lost and unable to locate the trail out.
• Loss of Communication: Mobile contact with both men failed shortly after the initial distress call, raising fears for their immediate safety due to changing weather and dense terrain.
• Multi-Agency SAR Operation: A coordinated search grid has been deployed, comprising personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), the Civil Defence Force (APM), and local village guides familiar with the Hulu Besut forest routes.
• Base of Operations: Search sweeps are currently concentrated around the entry trails leading from the La Hot Spring area toward the interior forest reserves.

Authorities have urged anyone with additional information or sightings near the chalet or forest boundary to contact the Besut district police headquarters immediately.

–NMT