Kerala: Google Maps misdirection traps five in Nilambur forest; rescued after hours by firefighters

Five teachers from Wayanad's Ummul Qura Arabic College were rescued by the Nilambur Fire and Rescue team after their car got stuck deep inside Kanjirappuzha forest.

Malappuram: A group of five who were stranded in the dense Nilambur forest were rescued by the Fire and Rescue Services late at night. The incident occurred around midnight in the Kanjirappuzha forest area, where the group, relying on Google Maps for navigation, lost their way while traveling by car.

The stranded individuals — Fausi, Shuhaib, Musffar, Shameem, and Asim — are teachers at Ummul Qura Institute Of Holy Quran in Kalpetta, Wayanad. The group had visited a colleague’s wedding house and was on their return journey when they inadvertently took a wrong route that led them deep into the forest.

Caught in heavy rain, their vehicle got stuck in the mud, and water began seeping into the car, eventually causing it to shut down. With no means of escape and surrounded by wild animals and reptiles, the group remained stranded for several hours in a state of helplessness.

They eventually alerted the Nilambur Fire and Rescue Services, who responded swiftly. After significant effort, the fire force team managed to tow the vehicle out of the muddy terrain and brought the group to safety. The rescue operation was challenging and took considerable time due to the difficult forest conditions.