The tragic death of Brazilian traveller and influencer Juliana Marins on Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani in June 2025 has reverberated around the globe, exposing significant gaps in Indonesia’s emergency response preparedness and igniting international outcry over the safety of its adventure tourism sector.

Juliana Marins, 26, fell into a 600-metre ravine near the summit of Mount Rinjani on June 21, during a guided hike with five other foreign tourists. The volcano, rising 3,726 metres above sea level in West Nusa Tenggara, is one of Indonesia’s most popular but perilous trekking destinations, Tempo.co reports. Despite early signs of life detected via thermal drones, her body was only recovered on June 24, by a local guide and a rescue team - a delay that drew intense criticism from Brazilian officials and media, as reported by Indonesia Business Post.

A delayed response amid extreme terrain

The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), along with the military (TNI), police (Polri), and local volunteers, launched a search after being alerted, but efforts were hampered by a lack of proper equipment and hazardous conditions. According to Indonesia Business Post, first responders initially had only standard climbing gear that proved inadequate for the vertical descent. Weather conditions, including dense fog, high winds, and loose volcanic rock, further complicated the operation.

Thermal imaging drones intermittently picked up signs of movement in the ravine, sparking hope that Marins might be alive. However, rescuers were unable to act swiftly due to the lack of vertical rescue gear. A helicopter from Jakarta was dispatched to assist, but bad weather forced the aerial extraction to be called off. The search team was finally able to descend to her location on the evening of June 24, when local guide Agam Rinjani reached her body at a depth of 600 metres. Due to poor lighting and safety risks, the evacuation was postponed until the next morning, Jakarta Globe reports.

Basarnas chief Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii later described the mission as “one of the most difficult mountain rescues in Indonesia’s history”. Despite these challenges, Marins’ family and Brazilian authorities have pointed to the timeline as evidence of systemic failure. In interviews with IBTimes and The Mirror, the Marins family said they believe Juliana could have survived if rescuers had reached her within seven hours of the fall. "Juliana suffered great negligence, now we are going to seek justice for her," the family declared.

A national and international reckoning

The slow and ultimately unsuccessful rescue ignited outrage in Brazil. Hashtags demanding accountability trended on X (formerly Twitter), and thousands of users flooded Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s Instagram page with comments. According to Indonesia Business Post, the Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta issued a strongly worded statement condemning the “inconsistent and delayed communication” and called for an overhaul of international rescue protocols in high-risk tourist zones.

Drone footage showing Marins' lifeless body on the cliffside was viewed over 20mn times globally, and the incident made front-page news in Brazilian outlets such as Globo and ARA, which criticised the lack of mandatory safety equipment on Rinjani treks and pointed out that some guides operate barefoot, without food or thermal protection.

The local hero and the spirit of Rinjani

Amid the criticism, a story of heroism emerged. Local guide Agam Rinjani, who was the first to reach Marins' body, stayed beside her for hours on a narrow ledge to prevent the body from falling further. According to Jakarta Globe, Agam has climbed Mount Rinjani over 570 times and is often called upon in emergency situations due to his familiarity with the terrain. He even claimed to have had a dream about a foreign tourist falling days before the accident.

Brazilian social media users hailed Agam as a hero, flooding his Instagram account with tributes. Some even urged the Brazilian government to award him a medal of honor. “They risked their lives for someone they didn’t even know,” wrote one user. Agam’s story became a beacon of compassion in the midst of widespread grief.

The broader crisis of tourism safety

The tragedy has prompted broader scrutiny of safety standards in Indonesia’s adventure tourism industry. Reports from ARA and Globo highlighted long-standing concerns over the Rinjani trail, including deteriorating paths, insufficient training for guides, and lax enforcement of safety rules. ARA quoted Brazilian officials as noting that guides often lack basic provisions and that trail conditions have worsened due to overuse.

Rahman Mukhlis, Chairperson of the Indonesian Mountain Guides Association, told Tempo.co that Mount Rinjani is not suitable for beginners. “Climbers should have prior experience on mountains above 2,500 metres,” he warned, while urging improvements in guide certification, climber preparedness, and route classification. It remains unclear whether Marins had prior mountaineering experience, although she was known to her social media followers as a frequent traveler in Asia.

A government pledge for reform

In the wake of the incident, Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, announced a review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all national parks. As reported by Tempo.co, new measures under consideration include the installation of warning signs at high-risk points, additional security posts, and the introduction of RFID chips and Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) for better monitoring.

The Ministry also plans to enhance guide licensing systems, implement climber experience classification, and improve public education on safety in conservation areas. A memorandum of understanding between the Ministry and Basarnas will expand SAR training for local porters and volunteers.

“We welcome all public criticism,” Raja Juli said. “What’s equally important is raising awareness and preparedness.”

A turning point

Whether these measures will lead to lasting change remains to be seen. For now, Mount Rinjani remains closed pending further evaluation. Juliana Marins’ death may become a grim milestone in Indonesia’s tourism history, a painful reminder of the stakes when safety infrastructure lags behind the boom of adventure travel.

From her family’s demand for justice to the global conversation about mountain safety, the fallout continues. As BBC and IBTimes reported, Marins’ final moments, captured on drone footage and echoed in the anguished voices of her loved ones, will not soon be forgotten.