Brazilian found dead after fall at Indonesia volcano

Brazilian found dead after fall at Indonesia volcano
by AFP Staff Writers
Jakarta (AFP) June 24, 2025

A Brazilian tourist who fell down a ravine at an Indonesian volcano popular with hikers has been found dead, the Brazilian government and Indonesia's rescue agency said Tuesday, after a days-long search and rescue effort.

Attempts to evacuate Juliana Marins, 26, who went missing on Saturday at Mount Rinjani on Lombok island, were hindered by challenging weather and terrain after authorities spotted her unmoving body with a drone.

"The Brazilian government informs, with deep sadness, the death of the Brazilian tourist Juliana Marins, who had fallen from a cliff surrounding the trail near the crater of Mount Rinjani," the Brazilian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"At the end of four days of work, hindered by adverse weather, terrain, and visibility conditions in the region, teams from the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency found the body of the Brazilian tourist."

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he received the news of Marins' death "with great sadness."

"Our diplomatic and consular services in Indonesia will continue to provide full support to her family at this time of great pain," Lula said in a post on X.

The head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, Mohammad Syafii, said rescuers would evacuate her body on Wednesday morning because of bad weather.

"One of the rescuers managed to reach the victim at the depth of 600 metres. Upon checking, there were no signs of life," he told reporters.

"Three rescuers got closer to the victim and confirmed she has died."

An Instagram account providing updates from the Marins family throughout the search effort also said Marins was found unresponsive on Tuesday.

"Today, the rescue team managed to reach the place where Juliana Marins was. With great sadness, we inform you that she did not survive," the account, which amassed more than 1.5 million followers since Marins went missing, wrote in a post on Tuesday evening.

"We remain very grateful for all the prayers, messages of affection and support that we have received."

Marins' last posts on Instagram show her backpacking around Thailand and Vietnam before reaching Indonesia.

Lombok is a tourist destination known for its idyllic beaches and lush greenery, and many try to climb Rinjani, Indonesia's second-tallest volcano, for its panoramic views.

In 2018 hundreds of hikers and guides became stranded by landslides on the mountain after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the island. At least 17 were killed across the island, including one on the mountain.