Austrian man dead

Tour guide made video: “Suddenly, the wood broke”

Astrid and Jürgen P. were crossing the bridge when the wooden planks suddenly gave way.(Bild: Basarnas Maumere Doc. )

It was supposed to be a dream vacation—but the trip to Indonesia ended fatally for two Austrians. Astrid (57) and Jürgen P. (55) fell to their deaths during an excursion when the wooden planks of a suspension bridge gave way. 

On Sunday morning, the couple from the Vienna area had arrived on the route to the Cunca Wulang Waterfall on the island of Flores, a popular tourist destination. On the way there, they had to cross a suspension bridge. 

“They were still smiling at the camera”
The couple was still laughing, recounts the shocked tour guide, who witnessed the scene. They had asked him to take a video. “They were smiling at the camera; after they had walked about ten meters, I suddenly heard a very loud noise of breaking wood, like a large branch falling.” The wooden planks of the bridge broke within seconds. 

The couple fell about 20 meters to the rocks on the riverbank. For them, any help came too late. The tour guide immediately ran back to set the rescue chain in motion. However, recovering the bodies proved quite difficult due to the steep terrain and the slippery rocks.

Astrid and Jürgen P. were crossing the bridge when the wooden planks suddenly gave way.(Bild: Basarnas Maumere Doc. )

Emergency responders at the scene of the tragedy recovered the bodies from the riverbank.(Bild: inp.polri.go.id)

Police launched an investigation
The bridge has since been closed until further notice. The police are conducting an investigation, said Christian Kadang, chief of the West Manggarai Police: “Our priority now is to secure evidence and clarify the incident.” The responsible tourism authority is also under scrutiny. The deceased were taken to Komodo Regional Hospital in Labuan Bajo, reports the “Hey Bali Times.” The Austrian Foreign Ministry also confirmed the couple’s deaths on Monday morning.

Suspension bridges in remote areas of Indonesia are popular photo spots, but in many places they are not regularly inspected. Due to the high humidity in the jungle, the wooden structures often become porous as a result of weathering. 

Repeated fatal tourist accidents
Fatal accidents at remote natural attractions are not uncommon in Indonesia. Difficult terrain, sometimes outdated infrastructure, and long rescue routes complicate operations in many regions of the world’s largest archipelago. Just last December, four members of a six-person Spanish family lost their lives when their boat capsized off Flores. Last June, a Brazilian woman fell to her death on Mount Rinjani on the Indonesian island of Lombok.