Cunca Wulang Waterfall in Labuan Bajo Closed Following Deaths of Two Foreign Tourists

The Cunca Wulang Waterfall destination in Mbeliling District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has been temporarily closed to tourists following the deaths of two Austrian tourists who fell from a suspension bridge at the popular Labuan Bajo attraction. Police Chief AKBP Christian Kadang stated the temporary closure was for investigation purposes. He mentioned coordination with the West Manggarai Regency Government regarding the temporary closure of the tourist site. ‘For the smooth progress of ongoing legal investigations, the Cunca Wulang Waterfall has been temporarily closed until further notice,’ Christian stated on Sunday (24/5/2026) evening. Cunca Wulang Waterfall is one of the attractions in Labuan Bajo, managed by the West Manggarai Creative Economy and Tourism Office. ‘To prevent similar accidents and allow investigators full access for a thorough inquiry, the police have coordinated with the West Manggarai Regency Government, particularly the Tourism Office,’ Christian explained. ‘Following written recommendations from the police, the Cunca Wulang Waterfall area has been officially closed to all public visitation activities effective today,’ he added. Christian urged all tourism site managers in West Manggarai to prioritise visitor safety, and asked tourists to remain vigilant during their visits. ‘For collective safety, we urge tourism managers in West Manggarai to enhance supervision and tourists to exercise caution during visits,’ Christian stressed. The deceased tourists were identified as Jurgen Perjul, 55, and Astrid Perjul, 57. They fell after the approximately 20-metre-high suspension bridge collapsed. Manggarai Barat Police is now investigating allegations of negligence by the waterfall’s management. The Forensic Identification Unit (Inafis) of the Manggarai Barat Criminal Investigation Unit has also conducted a thorough crime scene investigation to assess the technical safety of the wooden bridge.