Provincial politician of the area of the volcano who was the scene of Juliana Marins’s death regrets death and says rescue team needed advanced equipment. However, he says he was not lacking dedication to the rescuers.
The Indonesian governor of the province of Mount Rinjani, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, countered criticism that his government would not have provided immediate help to rescue Brazilian Juliana Marins, who died at the scene.
However, he also acknowledged that the structure of rescue teams to deal with cases such as this is insufficient and promised to establish security measures for tourism at Mount Rinjani.
In a video entitled “Open Letter to Brazilian Sisters and Brothers” published on their social networks and narrated in English, the Western probe governor said he was “deeply shaken” by the tragedy and assured that rescue teams “acted urgently and dedication” from the first moment they arrived at the scene of the accident.
“They put their own security at risk to fulfill the mission. Many of them were volunteers, moved only by compassion and humanity,” he said in the recording published on Saturday (28/06, local time), in which he mourned Juliana’s death.
The case generated commotion in Brazil and criticism of the Indonesian authorities for an alleged delay to act after Juliana falls into a cliff. It took four days for the Brazilian body to be found and removed. The young woman’s family accuses the Indonesian government of neglect.
Juliana fell from a height of over 300 meters | Personal file
Climatic conditions delayed rescue
Lalu Muhamad Iqba reinforced the official speech that rescue operations were hampered due to the climatic conditions of the volcano, which exceeds 3,000 meters above sea level.
“Free fall and persistent rain have made rescue efforts difficult from the first day, making it difficult even for thermal drones to detect coordinates accurately,” said the governor.
He also argued that the sandy terrain created an “extreme risk” for the operation of two highlighted helicopters for air rescue due to the possibility of sand entering the engines.
In the recording, a male voice surpassed images of the rescue teams, where there is a strong fog making impossible to view the volunteers.
Lack of rescue equipment
However, the Indonesian representative acknowledged that the number of vertical structures available for ransom is “insufficient” and that the teams “lack advanced equipment required” for missions like this.
“Please understand that I share this not as an excuse, but as a transparent recognition of our current limitations,” he said.
Muhamad also promised to expand safety infrastructure in access to the trail.
“I assure that we will take concrete measures to reinforce our preparation for future emergencies or disasters […] This mountain is no longer just a trail destination and became an international tourist attraction, ”he added.
Critics require trail closure
As DW has shown, several Asian press vehicles have discussed the country’s poor safety for risk -outdoors after pressure from Juliana’s rescue.
According to the Indonesian newspaper Kompas, only from April to June this year another three incidents occurred at the scene and a Malaysian tourist also died.
In the publication, the governor marked Brazilian official bodies, such as Itamaraty, criticized on social networks for the mediation of the case with Juliana’s family.
Social networking users also spared Muhamad in the comments of their video. In messages published in various languages, many criticize the governor for not closing the trail that leads to the volcano, since there is admission that the access and rescue infrastructure is not adequate.
Prabowo Subiato has a meeting scheduled with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in early July, at the BRICS summit. The agenda was agreed before the accident happened.
Originally published by DW on 06/30/2025
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/06/30/governador-indonesio-admite-falhas-em-resgate-de-brasileira/
