Two Austrian tourists killed at Labuan Bajo waterfall as police probe tour guide failings
Police are investigating the deaths of two Austrian tourists who fell from a suspension bridge at the Cunca Wulang Waterfall tourist site in Mbeliling District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The victims were a married couple, Jurgen Perjul, 55, and Astrid Perjul, 57.
In addition to uncovering the bridge’s poor condition, police have raised concerns over the tour guide services at the popular Labuan Bajo destination. Authorities confirmed there were no official or certified tour guides accompanying visitors at Cunca Wulang Waterfall. The guides present lacked proper accreditation.
“We found that there were no official and certified tour guides accompanying visitors during trekking activities,” said West Manggarai Police Chief AKBP Christian Kadang on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.
Christian stated that the local guides had not undergone any tourism safety training, which is essential for handling emergencies during visits. “Local officers and guides at the site have also not received adequate safety training,” he added.
Previously, police reported that the collapsed bridge was severely deteriorated, with rotten support beams and almost all safety nets missing. The wooden supports were also found to be decayed from age, while most of the walkway planks were loose, lifted, or dislodged from their frames.
“Initial inspections revealed that parts of the bridge planks were loose and lifted,” Christian explained. “Furthermore, there were no written standard operating procedures for routine bridge checks or adequate tourism safety systems,” he added.
Jurgen and Astrid fell after the 20-metre-high suspension bridge collapsed while they were crossing it on Sunday, 24 May. Prior to the incident, the local guide had warned the Austrian couple about the slippery trekking path due to weather conditions.
Cunca Wulang Waterfall is one of the flagship tourist destinations in Labuan Bajo, located approximately 1.5 hours by road from the town. The site is managed by the West Manggarai Tourism, Creative Economy, and Culture Office.