A routine trek on Mount Rinjani in Indonesia turned deadly for 26‑year‑old Brazilian traveler Juliana Marins from Niterói.
The incident occurred during a guided hike up Lombok’s 3,726 m (12,224 ft) volcano on June 21, 2025—just four days before her body was recovered.
Separation and fall
Shortly after setting out that morning, Marins, who was showing signs of fatigue, stopped to rest while her guide and fellow hikers pressed on. Alone on the treacherous trail, she slipped into a steep ravine and was left stranded. Several companions reported hearing her cries echoing through the gorge.
Search hampered by elements
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) swiftly launched an all-out response involving around 50 specialists equipped with ropes, harnesses, and thermal-imaging drones. Helicopter support was on standby, but low cloud cover and unpredictable mountain weather grounded the aircraft. Initial drone footage showed Marins alive but motionless—trapped amid cliffs, shifting loose rock, dense fog, and plummeting temperatures.
Discovery and rescue efforts
On June 24—after more than 96 hours—search teams reached her location near the crater’s edge. Sadly, she had already succumbed to injuries, hypothermia, and exhaustion before rescuers arrived. Her body was successfully extracted in a complex five-hour mission through forbidding terrain. In the aftermath, officials closed the Rinjani summit trail to honor her memory and support recovery efforts.
International response
The Brazilian embassy in Jakarta strongly criticized Indonesian authorities for initially issuing mixed messages about Marins’ condition, including claims that she was alive and receiving food and water—allegations her family firmly denies. Meanwhile, social media witnessed an outpouring of support: an Instagram campaign urging more efficient rescue operations quickly gained over a million followers.
Remembering Juliana
Marins was an adventurer at heart, having been backpacking across Southeast Asia since February, visiting Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. She regularly shared her experiences online, where her final footage from the Rinjani summit captured her joy and fearless spirit.
Published: Jun 26, 2025 05:30 am