A Croatian hiker rescued from Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu was fined for trespassing as he sought forgiveness for an act he said was spontaneous and not driven by a desire to avoid paying the entry fee.
Mauro Persic was fined the maximum penalty of RM25,000 (£4,580) early this month for trespassing into the Kinabalu Park. Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia on the island of Borneo, standing at an elevation of 4,095m.
The 46-year-old’s unauthorised trek came to light on 6 September after he slipped and fell about 10m down a steep slope. Despite a weak phone signal, he managed to send an SOS to emergency services.
Though he suffered injuries to his right leg, ribs, and hands, he said the wounds were the least of his problems.
He had spent several days trapped and stranded in a narrow trench, without food and a nearby stream for drinking water. The situation worsened, as heavy rain triggered a flash flood.
"Perhaps from the shock, I was getting so tired and sleepy that I had a sudden urge to let go. It appeared suddenly so easy just to let go,” he wrote in a social media post, reported The Star.
He recounted seeing his sleeping bag swept away, while he clung to a sling attached to a rock projection, to avoid falling deeper into the mountain.
“Several times I got up from under my shelter and started walking, only to realise there was nowhere to go,” he said.
It was on the eighth day that rescuers reached him. “Luis Jai Matuas, my rescue hero, reached me in the morning – the first human in eight days. What a joy and relief. He brought me a hot drink and biscuits, and I was in heaven again.”
The resident of London also apologised for trespassing. “I did not want to trespass nor avoid paying entry fees, that was the last thing on my mind. All I wanted to do was explore the captivating beauty of Kinabalu the moment I saw it,” he wrote in a Facebook post a day after Malaysia Day.
“As I have done many times before in different places around the globe. I did it on a spur of the moment and did not put enough thought and consideration to it. My sincere apologies for this.”
At least 43 personnel were involved in his rescue, bringing him safely down the mountain, despite the steep terrain, rain and poor visibility.
Reflecting on his experience, he said he was playing “Russian roulette, with the mountain being a revolver and gullies bullets. I took too many shots and got what I deserved”.
“Was it all worth it? I don't know. Probably not. A broken body, and 40 people risking their lives to save one. But still, I've seen the very best of humanity showing up these days: generosity, kindness, and care.
“I would like to make an apology to all the people of Sabah who feel that I have disrespected them. I never meant any disrespect to people, culture nor mountain.” Sabah is a state in Malaysia on the northern part of Borneo.
“People of Sabah have treated me like one of their own and I have only words of praise for them.
“I wish Happy Malaysia Day to all Malaysians, wherever they might be!”
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