Search widens for Aussie missing in Mulu National Park

The search has widened for an Aussie tourist who had gone missing in the world-famous Mulu National Park.

The search and rescue teams are combing the Mulu summit in an effort to find Andrew Gasket, 28, who went missing four days ago after he embarked on a solo adventure into the national park.

His route is not known. The national park has networks of vast caves, underground rivers and steep mountains as well as sharp limestone walls.

As of yesterday, some 40 search and rescue personnel combed three different locations at the Mulu Summit, Bukit Susu and Racers Cave.

These are locations deep inside the national park.

To reach the summit it is a three-day hike from the national park head office.

According to the latest information released by the SAR operations room in Mulu, the teams were using the help of villagers living in the area to assist in the mission.

Also being utilised were boats and also a helicopter.

Among the uniformed personnel were from the Fire and Rescue Department; the police, the civil defence as well as the Sarawak Forestry rangers.

It was said that Gasket had gone to Mulu with a local guide but the guide claimed that Gasket had said he wanted to venture inside the park alone for a hike on Oct 27.

Mulu is the eighth natural wonder of the world with the Sarawak Chambers being accorded the status as the largest cave chamber on earth.

Mulu is connected to Miri by a 30 minute flight but it is also accessible by rivers.