Tearful Welcome as the Body of Jembrana's PMI, Who Died in Russia, Arrives Home

An atmosphere of sadness enveloped Banjar Petapan Kelod, Desa Pergung, Mendoyo District, Jembrana, as tears were shed by family members when the body of Ni Made Dwi Arya Wati (36), an Indonesian migrant worker who died in Russia, arrived at the family home on Wednesday (4 March 2026). Known as Dek Wati, she had previously been declared dead in mid-February 2026. After completing administrative procedures in the Russian Federation, her body finally arrived in her homeland.

The body landed at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Cargo Terminal at around 08:05 WITA. After airport formalities, the ambulance departed at 09:45 WITA and arrived at the family home around 11:45 WITA.

The repatriation was attended by the Head of Placement, Training, Productivity, and Transmigration (P3T) at the Jembrana Labour and Transmigration Office (Disnakerperin), Putu Agus Arimbawa, together with the deceased’s husband, I Wayan Joki Angga Dwipayana (46), and the Bali Task Force of the Association of Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies (AP3MI Bali).

‘The repatriation proceeded rather quickly because the person left with a contractual arrangement and an official work visa,’ Agus Arimbawa said when contacted by detikBali. He explained that the body had departed Russia on 2 March 2026. Despite the long journey, he confirmed there were no major obstacles in the repatriation process. Regarding legal procedures in Russia, the family had asked for an autopsy to be waived to speed the repatriation; however, this could not be granted.

‘The family did request not to autopsy, but given the legal perspective there is in Russia, it is mandatory, so the procedure was carried out,’ Agus said. He added that official autopsy results typically take about two months to be released. For now, authorities have issued a death certificate, and ‘we are still waiting for the autopsy results,’ he said.

The family has prepared a sequence of adat ceremonies to mark the departure of the deceased. The washing of the body (nyiraman layon) ceremony is planned for Friday (6 March 2026), and the cremation ceremony at Setra Pergung will be held on Saturday (7 March 2026).