Tragedy has struck Mount Rinjani in Indonesia after a 26-year-old Brazilian tourist, Juliana Marins, fell hundreds of feet into the active volcano’s crater area and was later found dead. The devastating incident occurred following an alleged lapse in duty by her local hiking guide.
Marins, a publicist from Niterói, Brazil, was on a backpacking trip across Southeast Asia, documenting her journey through Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines before arriving in Indonesia. She was hiking Mount Rinjani, the country’s second-highest volcano, with a small group on Saturday morning when she reportedly felt exhausted and asked her guide to stop and rest.
According to her sister, Marianna, who spoke to Brazilian media, the guide controversially decided to continue the trek with the remaining five hikers, leaving Marins behind alone for about an hour. It was during this time, around sunrise, that Marins tragically slipped and fell from a trail overlooking the crater lake. The guide only returned to check on her when he realized she had been left alone for too long, discovering that she had fallen.
Herculean Rescue Efforts Hampered by Extreme Conditions
Initial reports from Saturday were cautiously hopeful, with rescuers reportedly hearing screams for help from Marins and drone footage appearing to show her alive, albeit motionless, on a rock ledge deep inside the volcano. Gunung Rinjani National Park officials confirmed she was located via drone at a reported initial depth of 500 meters (around 1,600 feet).
A large-scale search and rescue mission was immediately launched, involving numerous teams and even thermal drone technology. However, the operation faced immense challenges from the outset. The treacherous terrain, described as loose and sandy, combined with thick fog and rapidly changing weather patterns inside the volcano’s caldera, severely hampered progress. Attempts to reach her by helicopter were cancelled due to poor weather and lack of suitable landing sites.
Rescue teams struggled to navigate the difficult environment. Park officials stated that teams were forced to retreat for safety on multiple occasions. Marins was initially located at a depth of 150 meters, but had slipped further down the cliff face to 500 meters by Monday morning, eventually being reached at a depth of 600 meters by rescuers.
Family’s Distress and Conflicting Updates
Marins’ family and friends reportedly learned of the incident through social media, adding to their distress. They publicly appealed for urgent assistance, highlighting the slow pace of the rescue efforts due to the challenging conditions. At one point, the family noted that teams had only advanced 250 meters in a full day, with 350 meters still remaining to reach her initial estimated location, before being forced to pull back. In response, two experienced local mountaineers with specialized equipment were dispatched to assist.
Compounding the family’s anguish were alleged conflicting updates from Indonesian officials. A friend of Marins claimed that authorities had provided false information, including a disputed report that she had been reached and provided with food and water early in the rescue. Muhamad Hariyadi, head of the local search and rescue office, denied these allegations, attributing difficulties solely to the environmental factors.
Tragic Outcome Confirmed
Despite the exhaustive, multi-day effort involving dozens of personnel and specialized equipment, rescue crews reached Marins on Tuesday, four days after the fall. Tragically, upon reaching her location on the dangerous cliff face within the crater area, there were no signs of life.
Her family confirmed her death in a heartbreaking statement shared online, saying, “With great sadness, we inform you that she did not survive.” They expressed gratitude for the global outpouring of prayers and support. Brazil’s foreign ministry also confirmed her death, extending condolences and describing it as a “tragic accident” and an “immense loss.”
Understanding the Risks on Mount Rinjani
Mount Rinjani, an active stratovolcano known for its stunning views and caldera lake, is a popular but demanding hiking destination. The ascent typically takes several days, requiring significant preparation. Indonesian authorities stress the inherent dangers of trekking the mountain, particularly near the crater rim. This tragic incident is not the first fatal fall on Mount Rinjani; local reports indicate previous deaths, including a Malaysian tourist just the month prior and a Portuguese man in 2022, highlighting the serious risks involved in conquering its challenging trails.
In the wake of the tragedy, Indonesian Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni announced a temporary closure of the Mount Rinjani hiking trail out of respect for Juliana Marins and her family and to facilitate the recovery operation. The process of retrieving her body from the hazardous location remains a complex and risky endeavor for rescue teams.
