Body of Brazilian tourist recovered after fatal fall from Indonesian volcano cliff

A 27-year-old Brazilian tourist named Juliana Marins died after falling off a cliff while hiking on Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s second-highest volcano. She had gone trekking with five of her friends on Saturday when the tragic accident happened. The group was exploring the mountain when Marins slipped near a cliff on the 3,726-metre (12,224 feet) high mountain and fell to her death.

Mount Rinjani is located in West Nusa Tenggara province and is a well-known tourist destination. It is an active volcano and attracts many hikers every year. However, the hike can be dangerous, especially due to the steep paths, cliffs, and sudden changes in weather. In fact, just last month, a Malaysian tourist also died after falling off a cliff on the same mountain.

When Marins fell, her friends quickly alerted local authorities. Search and rescue teams immediately started operations to find her. However, the terrain was extremely challenging. There were steep cliffs, thick fog, and bad weather, all of which made the rescue mission very difficult.

On Tuesday, after four days of searching, the rescue team was finally able to locate her body near the crater. They used thermal drone technology, which detects heat signals, to help find her in the difficult and foggy area. Even after they found her, bringing her body back was not easy.

Rescue team struggled with terrain and weather

Initially, the team had planned to use a helicopter to airlift her body. But poor weather conditions, especially the heavy fog and wind, made it impossible to fly safely. This forced the rescue team to carry out a ground-based evacuation.

Mohammad Syafii, the head of Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency, said that it took about six hours to retrieve Marins’ body. She was carefully lifted from the cliff with ropes and placed on a stretcher. Rescue workers then carried her down the mountain. An ambulance later took her body to a nearby hospital.

Footage shared by the rescue agency shows the tough conditions the team faced. Rescuers were seen trying to pull her body up the cliff with thick fog around them, which made visibility very poor. The operation was slow and risky but necessary to ensure the safety of the rescue workers and to return Marins' body to her family with care.

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Marins’ family, who had travelled to Indonesia, met with the rescue team. They were informed about how the search and retrieval would take place. According to Syafii, the family understood the situation and thanked the team for their efforts. He said, “The family can accept the situation,” showing that they were at peace with the explanation and the recovery process.

This accident has again highlighted the risks involved in hiking on dangerous terrains like Mount Rinjani. While it is a popular spot for adventure lovers, several tourists have died in similar incidents in recent years. Local authorities often warn hikers to be cautious and go only with proper guides, safety gear, and weather updates.

Marins’ death is a tragic reminder that nature, though beautiful, can be unpredictable and dangerous. The efforts by the rescue team show the challenges that emergency workers face in such high-risk areas.

In conclusion, Juliana Marins' unfortunate death has brought attention to the need for extra safety measures on popular but risky trekking routes like Mount Rinjani. Her body was found after a tough four-day search involving drones and rescue teams who worked in extreme conditions. Her story serves as a sad example of how even experienced hikers can fall victim to sudden accidents in the mountains.