Brazilian Tourist Dies After 600m Fall on Indonesian Volcano

A dream adventure ended in heartbreak for 26-year-old Brazilian tourist Juliana Marins, who was found dead on Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on Indonesia’s Lombok island, after falling off a cliff during a hike. Her body was recovered on Tuesday, four days after she slipped during a group trek near the crater rim.

Marins, a dancer and publicist from Niterói near Rio de Janeiro, was hiking with five foreigners and a local guide early Saturday when she fell approximately 600 meters down a steep slope at around 6:30 a.m. Despite initially surviving the fall and calling for help, rescue efforts were severely hampered by fog, shifting volcanic sands, and unstable terrain.

Thermal drone footage and phone videos showed her alive shortly after the fall, but rescuers lost visual contact as she reportedly slid further down the ravine. Her body was eventually located using a thermal drone on Tuesday near the crater wall.

Marins had been on a solo backpacking trip across Asia since February, documenting her travels through the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. Her last Instagram post on June 11 read: “Never try never fly,” and has since attracted nearly 200,000 likes.

The incident drew national attention in Brazil, with an Instagram account created by her family for rescue updates amassing over 1.6 million followers. After her death was confirmed, the family thanked supporters and expressed their sorrow: “With great sadness, we inform you that she didn’t survive.”

The difficult rescue prompted tension between Brazilian and Indonesian officials. At one point, the Brazilian embassy accused local authorities of falsely stating that Marins had been located and was receiving aid.

Indonesia’s forestry minister, Raja Juli Antoni, announced the closure of all hiking routes on Mount Rinjani out of respect and to assist with the evacuation.

Mount Rinjani, standing 3,726 meters high, is a popular destination for hikers but has seen several fatal incidents, including the recent deaths of a Malaysian and a Portuguese tourist. In 2018, an earthquake stranded hundreds of hikers on the mountain and left at least 17 dead.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offered condolences, affirming that Brazil’s diplomatic services would continue supporting Marins’ family through the tragedy.