Mount Rinjani claims another victim: Second horror fall on Indonesia's deadly volcano in weeks

West Australian

17-07-2025

Another hiker has fallen on Indonesia's Mount Rinjani, just weeks after a young Brazilian woman died on the same treacherous trail, raising fresh concerns over safety on the active volcano's steep and unforgiving terrain.
Swiss climber Benedikt Emmenegger, 46, was descending the mountain with his daughter and a local porter on Tuesday when he slipped on a steep slope at around 11.25am.
The fall left him stranded, unable to move and in need of urgent help — eerily echoing the fate of Juliana Marins, the 26-year-old Brazilian tourist who plummeted to her death in June after falling into a ravine during a group hike.
But unlike Ms Marins, Mr Emmenegger was rescued in time.
'We, along with the medical team, have already moved to provide assistance,' said Yarman, head of the Mount Rinjani National Park.
Dramatic footage shows Mr Emmenegger lying on a mat, wrapped in a gold thermal blanket, with his daughter kneeling beside him. Rescue teams administered first aid at the scene before stretchering him to a helicopter evacuation point,
News.com.au
reported.
'The helicopter has been prepared and has flown to the evacuation point. Hopefully, the weather cooperates,' Yarman said.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of the Swiss climber's injuries. He had reportedly set out to reach the volcano's famed sulphur lake, Segara Anak, via a hazardous route known to be particularly risky during humid or rainy conditions.
Mount Rinjani, located on the island of Lombok, is Indonesia's second-highest volcano and a magnet for tourists, though increasingly one with a deadly reputation. Standing at 3,700 metres, the site has claimed lives and caused serious injuries due to its unstable slopes and unpredictable weather.
Last month's death of Ms Marins prompted criticism from her family, who accused Indonesian authorities of 'serious negligence' during what they said was a bungled rescue effort.
Although Ms Marins was spotted alive by a drone after falling 500 metres into a ravine, fog and difficult terrain delayed efforts to reach her, and she died before help arrived.
Mr Emmenegger's survival offers a stark contrast — and a rare lucky break on a mountain that has fast earned a deadly reputation.