6 Sokor tourists rescued at Pinatubo

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Stranded near a swollen river at the height of typhoon "Milenyo" on their trek up Mt. Pinatubo, six Korean nationals, one of them a four-year-old girl, and their three Filipino guides were rescued by Tarlac policemen early Friday morning.

Senior Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, Tarlac police chief, immediately organized a rescue team as soon as Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan informed him Thursday night that a family of six Koreans and their three guides had failed to return and were officially declared missing.

Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan, Central Luzon police director, who closely monitored the rescue operation, said the group was rescued in the vicinity of Mt. Pinatubo and was safely brought to Barangay Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac.

Bartolome identified the six Koreans as Cho Hyun Goo, 45, a pastor of the Seventh Day Adventists, his two sons, Cho David, l4, and Cho Hanvid, l3; Yoon Sung Kyung, 30, also a Seventh Day Adventist pastor, his wife Lee Hyun Kyung, 28, and their four-year-old daughter, Yoon Na Ra Kyung.

Only one of the three Filipino guides was identified, Sulpicio Lundang.

Bartolome said they tried to rescue the missing group Thursday night, but their vehicles could not cross the swollen river.

The rescue team included men of the 313th Police Mobile Group under Superintendent Eden Ugale, the Capas police, the Army’s Light Armor Brigade under Lt. Col. Bismark Soliba, and the Tarlac police.

Reports said the Koreans, along with their guides, left for Pinatubo at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, hours before "Milenyo" pummeled Metro Manila and later Central Luzon.

The Pinatubo trek normally takes two and a half hours. A growing number of tourists are going on such an adventure to catch a glimpse of the volcano’s crater lake.