Bali SAR team rescues two Russian nationals stranded by high tide at Padang Padang Beach

A joint search and rescue team successfully rescued two Russian nationals stranded by high tide at Padang Padang Beach, Pecatu Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali. Dramatic rescue operations concluded in the early hours of Sunday (31 May) amid challenging terrain. The victims, Shumskikh Ariadna Anatolievna, 22, and Kristia Kirill Eduardovich, 23, were found safe after being trapped on a coastal cliff. The SAR team had to employ high-angle rescue techniques to lift the victims from their isolated position as the rising tide cut off access. Denpasar Search and Rescue Office Field Coordinator Wahyu explained that the decision to use rope techniques was made after considering the safety of both the team and victims amid challenging field conditions. “The victims were successfully rescued at around 2:00 AM WITA on Sunday (31 May),” Wahyu said. The incident began when the two foreign nationals were walking along the beach at around 5:00 PM WITA on Saturday (30 May). Unaware, the tide rose rapidly. By nightfall, the increasing water level had blocked the main access route, trapping them and preventing their return to the starting point. A report of the incident was received by the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office at 9:20 PM WITA from resident Wedi. In response, the team immediately coordinated with Balawista and South Kuta Police Station before deploying personnel to the scene. Upon arrival at the scene at 10:05 PM WITA, the joint team immediately assessed the terrain based on coordinates sent by the victims. With the land route submerged and the cliff face steep, one officer was lowered by rope to reach the victims. The two foreign nationals were then slowly pulled up one by one. The operation involved at least seven personnel from Denpasar Basarnas Rescue, three from Denpasar Police Water and Air Unit, and two Balawista members, assisted by the victims’ companions and local residents. After being confirmed healthy, the two Russian nationals were handed over to relevant authorities for further handling. (Z-1)