A 67-year-old German tourist was dramatically rescued after being trapped 45 meters high on a cliff in a West Sumatran canyon. Local rescue teams used ropes in a “fantastic rescue” operation that lasted four hours.

INDONESIA — A 67-year-old German tourist was dramatically rescued after being trapped halfway up a 45-meter-high cliff in the Taratak Kayu Gadih Canyon area, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, Indonesia, on Wednesday afternoon, October 8th.

The tourist, identified as Jorg Ulrich Wilhelm from Munich, Germany, became stranded on a steep rock wall while trying to climb out of the canyon after exploring the famous Sianok Gorge, located between Bukittinggi and Agam. He had been staying alone at the Bamboosa Homestay for the past few days.

According to Budi Iswandi, a staff member at the homestay, the incident came to light after Jorg sent a WhatsApp message around 4 p.m. local time.

“His name is Jorg, from Germany. He had been in Bukittinggi for two or three days. He went hiking along the canyon, tried to climb up, and got stuck. He was staying at Bamboosa by himself,” Budi said.

In a series of WhatsApp messages, Jorg explained that he did not fall but was trapped on a cliff too steep to climb or descend.

“I did not fall, I only cannot go on because it’s so steep. Going down is also very difficult. Is it possible to go up? Maybe helping with a rope?” he wrote, along with his live GPS coordinates.

Upon receiving the distress message, homestay staff immediately coordinated with the Agam Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). A joint rescue team consisting of BPBD, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Community Preparedness Teams (KSB), military personnel, firefighters, and local residents was deployed to the site.

Aljum Pati Agus, the head of Balingka village who joined the rescue operation, said that the team was divided into two groups.

“One team went down to the bottom of the canyon through the river, while the other descended the cliff using ropes in a vertical rescue. The canyon is about 80 meters deep, and the victim was stuck around 45 meters from the top,” he explained.

He added that Jorg appeared exhausted and dehydrated midway through his climb.

“He tried to get out of the canyon but ran out of energy and didn’t know the way. He couldn’t go up or down,” Aljum said.

After nearly four hours of effort, rescuers managed to reach Jorg and bring him safely to the ground. He suffered only minor scratches and received immediate assistance.

Riko, the homestay manager, confirmed that Jorg had left early that morning, saying he wanted to go hiking in the canyon for sport.

“He said he wanted to walk in the canyon for exercise. We only found out he was trapped when he messaged us, and we quickly called firefighters for help,” Riko said.

Following his rescue, Jorg expressed deep gratitude to the rescuers and described the operation as extraordinary.

“It was a fantastic rescue. I wanted to go out of the canyon, but it is not like in Germany. I was not strong enough, so I asked for help, and they organised a rescue team. It was fantastic,” Jorg said.

Jorg, who is known to be an avid rock climber, was reportedly equipped with climbing gear during the incident.

The quick and coordinated operation earned praise from local residents. The dramatic rescue serves as a reminder for tourists to remain cautious and well-prepared when exploring steep and challenging terrains in West Sumatra.