24 People Died After Suspension Bridge Collapsed in Papua

Twenty-four people died after drowning in the Uwe River in Wamena, Jayawijaya, Papua, following the collapse of the Wouma suspension bridge. This event is also reported to have sparked tribal wars in the area.

The Chief of Police for Jayawijaya, AKBP Anak Agung Made Satriya Bimantara, stated that search efforts have been carried out with a joint team from the 1702/Jayawijaya Military District and the Wamena Search and Rescue (Basarnas) Post to date.

“The results of our search with the joint team since the collapse of the Wouma suspension bridge on the first day until today have found approximately 24 victims,” he said in Wamena on Sunday (May 17).

According to him, the data on the number of victims is not yet accurate and remains unclear.

“To be honest, up to this moment, we have not received accurate data on how many victims fell due to the collapse of the Wouma suspension bridge. Information about the number of victims from the Wouma suspension bridge says 7, 20, 33, and 38, but all of this is still unclear,” he said.

The joint team focused on searching for victims of the collapsed Wouma suspension bridge since May 7, 2026, to reduce tensions.

“There is information from the community stating that a victim named so-and-so has died, but after checking again, the victim is still alive. However, we continue to make efforts to search so that we can lower the emotions of the victims’ families. The search was carried out for up to eight days before the tribal wars occurred in Wamena,” he said.

He added that three points are the focus of the search, namely from the collapsed suspension bridge to the Wouma Bridge area at the estuary or behind the Wamena Airport and Yikuba.

“In total, 24 bodies or victims have been found to date. And efforts to search continue with the joint team from the Military District and Basarnas,” he said.