Brazilian Tourist Found Dead After Falling Into Ravine at Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani

Brazilian media and the woman's family have identified the stranded hiker as 26-year-old Juliana Marins

A Brazilian tourist who went missing after falling into a deep ravine near the crater of Mount Rinjani on Indonesia’s Lombok Island has been confirmed dead, authorities in Brazil and Indonesia announced on Tuesday.

Juliana Marins, 26, was reported missing on Saturday after she fell from a cliff while hiking along one of the volcano's popular trails. The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency launched an immediate operation, deploying drones, helicopters, and mountaineering teams to locate her. Challenging terrain, poor visibility, and adverse weather conditions significantly hampered rescue efforts.

After four days of searching, rescuers located her body using aerial drones. Agency head Mohammad Syafii confirmed Marins was found unresponsive at a depth of approximately 600 meters and declared deceased at the scene. Due to continued bad weather, efforts to evacuate her body were delayed until Wednesday morning.

Gunung Rinjani National Park said that rescue teams used thermal drones, mountaineering gear and a helicopter

“One of the rescuers managed to reach the victim at the depth of 600 meters, upon checking there were no signs of life,” Syafii said. “Three rescuers got closer to the victim and confirmed she has died.”

The Brazilian foreign ministry issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the incident, stating, “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.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also responded to the tragic news, saying he received word of her death “with great sadness,” and assured that Brazilian diplomatic services in Indonesia would continue providing support to her family.

Marins’ disappearance drew international attention, with an Instagram account dedicated to updates about her search amassing over 1.5 million followers. On Tuesday, the account shared the heartbreaking news: “Today, the rescue team managed to reach the place where Juliana Marins was. With great sadness, we inform you that she did not survive.”

Marins had been traveling through Southeast Asia, with recent social media posts showing her visiting Thailand and Vietnam before arriving in Indonesia. Lombok, a scenic island east of Bali, is known for its picturesque beaches and is a popular hiking destination, with Mount Rinjani being Indonesia’s second-highest volcano.

Gunung Rinjani National Park officials stated that thermal drones and climbing equipment were deployed during the search, and that on the day she went missing, her cries for help were heard by rescue teams. Initially located at a depth of about 500 feet, she was later found to have slipped further down the ravine to more than 1,600 feet.

Mount Rinjani has a history of dangerous conditions for hikers. In 2018, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake triggered landslides that stranded hundreds of hikers and resulted in 17 deaths, including one on the mountain.