Mimika, Papua. Two 60-year-old female hikers died at the summit of Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia’s highest peak with an elevation of 4,884 meters (16,024 feet), on Saturday afternoon. Authorities suspect hypothermia and acute mountain sickness as the causes of their deaths.

The victims have been identified as Lilie Wijayanti Poegiono from Jakarta and Elsa Laksono from Bandung.

The two women were part of a 15-member hiking group, which included two Turkish nationals, a Russian climber, and five Indonesian guides, according to a report from the local search and rescue agency.

The group flew by helicopter from Moses Kilangin Airport in Mimika to the mountain’s Yellow Valley Base Camp on Wednesday. They spent two days at the base camp for acclimatization and mountaineering training before beginning their climb.

The ascent began at 4 a.m. local time on Friday.

After reaching the summit area of the mountain, the group descended on Saturday amid harsh weather conditions, including a snowstorm, heavy rain, and strong winds.

Both Lilie and Elsa passed away after being evacuated during the descent. Meanwhile, three climbers -- Indira Alaika, Alvin Reggy Perdana, and Saroni -- were stranded overnight near the summit due to extreme weather conditions, awaiting rescue.

Mimika Police Chief Adjunct Chief Commissioner Billyandha Hildiario Budiman confirmed that the three survivors also suffered from hypothermia, a life-threatening condition in which the body temperature drops below 35°C (95°F).

On Sunday morning, a helicopter evacuated the three survivors and Elsa’s body from the base camp. However, the rescue operation for Lilie’s body was delayed due to bad weather and postponed until Monday.

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