Mataram. The tragic death of Brazilian national Juliana Marins has drawn international attention, with local authorities facing criticism for allegedly responding too slowly to her evacuation after she fell along the Cemara Nunggal trail on Mount Rinjani, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The West Nusa Tenggara administration has denied the accusations. Acting Regional Secretary Lalu Mohammad Faozal said the provincial government had shown a strong commitment in handling the incident.

He said from the outset, the government had not relied solely on official agencies but had also involved private entities, including gold miner Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara (AMMAN), in the rescue operation.

The incident unfolded when Juliana was located about 160 meters above the Cemara Nunggal cliff on Saturday, a day after her fall. At that time, she was still able to send an emergency signal that was detected. However, bad weather and extreme terrain hindered the rescue team's access.

"From the information I received, the victim was initially still able to send a distress signal from a height of 160 meters," Faozal said on Wednesday.

By the time the rescue team reached the area, she had slipped further and was eventually found about 600 meters below the original point. Drones aided the search, but visibility was severely limited due to dense fog that developed around midday.

"When the team descended on the first day, fog had already formed by 11 a.m. local time, making evacuation efforts ineffective. We could only operate during the early morning hours," he explained.

Faozal added that a helicopter owned by AMMAN had been deployed, but it was designated for transporting logistics, not human evacuation. A Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency) helicopter was later used, though it too faced difficulties due to severe weather.

"Although AMMAN is a private company, we requested their assistance. They sent a helicopter with a full crew, but it was only authorized for cargo. That posed a technical challenge for us," he said.

Juliana was an experienced hiker and social media influencer with over 360,000 followers. She had climbed numerous peaks across Asia. Faozal described the incident as a tragic and unpredictable accident.

"Juliana was a professional hiker. She had been climbing mountains since she was a child. But accidents can happen to anyone. The latest reports suggest she may have slipped while going to relieve herself," he said.

Responding to criticism from Brazilian netizens, Faozal insisted that the government had acted swiftly and with seriousness.

"People are entitled to voice their opinions, but it should be based on facts. This country has shown its commitment, we even involved the private sector in the rescue," he said.

Autopsy to Be Conducted in Bali

The body of Brazilian hiker Juliana Marins was initially scheduled for an autopsy at Bhayangkara Hospital in Mataram, NTB. However, due to the absence of the region’s only forensic doctor, the autopsy will instead be conducted in Bali.

"The autopsy is planned to be conducted in Bali," said West Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Indah Dhamayanti Putri, as quoted by Antara on Thursday.

She said Bali was chosen as the nearest available location. The hospital is now completing the administrative process for transporting Juliana’s remains to Bali using an ambulance from Bhayangkara Hospital Mataram. All expenses related to handling the body in NTB are being covered by the provincial government.

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