FLASH floods killed a Dutch tourist in a popular cave in the rugged Mulu National Park, an official said today, as a search continues for a missing guide. 

Local fire and rescue chief Law Poh Kiong identified the dead man as 66-year-old Peter Hans Hovenkamp from Utrecht in the central Netherlands.  

“He died due to drowning following flash floods in the caves. His body was found in a river inside the cave and was taken to the Miri public hospital for a post-mortem on Saturday,” he told AFP.

Law said a search-and-rescue operation involving 16 officers had been launched to locate 20-year local tour guide Roviezal Robin.

Eight other tourists in the same group “almost became victims” but fled to higher ground and escaped from being washed into the river, Law added.

Hovenkamp was reported missing yesterday while the group was touring the popular “Deer Cave”, home to an estimated three million bats which form amazing patterns in the sky when they leave each dusk.

Mulu park in Sarawak state is famous for its caves, cliffs and gorges, and is a Unesco world heritage site.

It sees thousands of visitors annually, particularly for its cooling rains during the summer months. 

Law described the death as “a freak tragedy”. – AFP, July 13, 2019.