Foreign tourists Jurgen Perjul (55) and Astrid Perjul (57) died after\nfalling from a 20-metre-high suspension bridge at the Cunca Wulang\nWaterfall area in Mbeliling District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara\n(NTT). The waterfall is one of the popular natural tourist destinations\nin Labuan Bajo.<\/p>\n
Tour guide Muhammad Muhardin (30) recounted the moments when Jurgen\nand Astrid fell from the suspension bridge. They plummeted onto large\nrocks after the wooden planks supporting the bridge gave way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were walking side by side, smiling warmly towards the camera.\nThey asked me to take a video from behind as they crossed the bridge,\u201d\nMuhardin said in Labuan Bajo on Sunday, 24 May 2026.<\/p>\n
Jurgen and Astrid arrived at the Cunca Wulang Waterfall tourist area\naround 9:20 am WITA, accompanied by their private driver, Julius Mam\n(45). After completing administrative registration at the ticket booth,\nthe two tourists began trekking to the waterfall under Muhardin\u2019s\nguidance.<\/p>\n
Upon reaching the high suspension bridge spanning the rocky river,\nthe victims intended to capture a short video of their moment together.\nThey handed their mobile phones to Muhardin and requested he film from\nbehind.<\/p>\n
After walking approximately 10 metres across the suspension bridge,\nMuhardin said the wooden structure supporting their feet suddenly broke.\nA loud noise, like a large tree falling, was heard. Muhardin witnessed\nthe tourists fall and hit the large rocks.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuddenly, there was a very loud cracking sound like a big tree\nbranch falling. Within seconds, the entire bridge collapsed,\u201d Muhardin\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw them fall freely downward and immediately strike the large\nriver rocks at the bottom of the ravine,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Muhardin immediately ran back to the ticket booth to seek help from\nlocal residents. Shortly after, a joint search and rescue (SAR) team\narrived at the scene to evacuate the foreign tourists.<\/p>\n
The evacuation of Jurgen and Astrid\u2019s bodies was dramatic. The joint\nSAR team had to navigate the treacherous, narrow terrain of the Cunca\nWulang River, which was strewn with slippery rocks.<\/p>\n
The bodies were eventually transported to Komodo Regional Hospital in\nLabuan Bajo. Meanwhile, police have cordoned off the incident site.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur top priority immediately after the incident was to evacuate the\nvictims and secure the crime scene to preserve the integrity of physical\nevidence and maintain the status quo,\u201d said Manggarai Barat Police Chief\nAKBP Christian Kadang.<\/p>\n
The suspension bridge that claimed the lives of the two foreign\ntourists is the access route to Cunca Wulang Waterfall. The tourist\ndestination, managed by the West Manggarai Tourism, Creative Economy,\nand Culture Agency, is approximately a 1.5-hour drive from Labuan\nBajo.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-foreign-tourists-die-after-falling-from-labuan-bajo-suspension-bridge-1780352376", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }