Two European tourists were reported to have gone missing in the forest of the Semenggok Wildlife Centre for Orang Utan, about 25km from Kuching, today.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department operations centre said a worker of the wildlife centre lodged a missing persons report after the two men failed to emerge from the forest when the centre closed for the day at 4.30pm.

"Eight personnel from the Siburan Fire and Rescue Department, with the assistance of K9 (tracker dog) unit, have launched a search and rescue operation,” it said in a statement.

The two were said to have arrived at the popular tourist centre at about 8am today and got into an argument with some workers who stopped them from entering because they did not have tickets.

"However, they were finally allowed to enter after several other visitors paid for their tickets,” the statement said.

Rescuers have yet to locate them as of 8pm. — Bernama