What was meant to be a dream vacation turned into a tragedy for 26-year-old Juliana Marins, who was left behind by her guide while hiking on Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani.
Juliana had joined a group of tourists, including a guide, but on the second day of the trek, she became too exhausted to continue. According to her sister Mariana, the guide continued to the summit, leaving Juliana behind.
She later slipped and fell roughly 300 meters down the trail. Hours later, tourists using a drone spotted her and shared videos online, which eventually reached her family in Brazil.
Despite official claims from Indonesian authorities and the Brazilian Embassy that Juliana had received food, water, and aid, her family disputes this. They say she remained missing for over 36 hours without help, and accuse authorities of releasing fake rescue footage.
The search was later suspended due to bad weather, deepening the family’s desperation. Her father criticized the Brazilian government for a lack of support.
Sadly, Juliana was eventually found dead. Her family confirmed the news via social media, thanking those who had supported them. Gunung Rinjani National Park also released a statement detailing the rescue challenges, citing dangerous terrain and weather.
Juliana had been backpacking across Asia since February, visiting countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand before arriving in Indonesia.