Chinese tourist dies in fall from Indonesia volcano crater edge

INDONESIA: A tragic incident unfolded at the iconic Ijen Crater in Banyuwangi, East Java, claiming the life of a 31-year-old Chinese tourist.

The unfortunate event occurred on Saturday (20 April) when the victim, Huang Lihong accompanied by her husband Zhang Yong (32), family, and friends, was enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the area.

According to eyewitnesses, Huang fell into a ravine while taking photos near the cliff edge when her long skirt became entangled, causing her to lose balance and tumble backward into the deep ravine.

Mount Ijen, standing at 2,386 meters above sea level, is renowned for its mesmerizing blue fire phenomenon within the crater.

Departing from Paltuding, a base camp for climbers, around 2:10 am, Huang and her companions ventured to the site to witness the mesmerizing blue fire phenomenon.

Afterwards, they made their way back to the crater to catch the sunrise.

Guswanto, the group’s tour guide, recounted the tragic moment when Huang lost her footing.

He had been capturing a photo of Huang and her husband against the backdrop of the sunrise just moments before the accident occurred.

Huang’s fall into the ravine, prompted an urgent response from Guswanto, who immediately sought assistance from authorities at Paltuding.

The evacuation of Huang’s body from the bottom of the ravine took approximately two hours, according to Dwi Sugiharto, Head of Section V of the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA).

He elaborated that the ravine into which the victim fell was approximately 75 meters deep.

Unfortunately, by the time the evacuation team reached her, Huang had already succumbed to her injuries.

Confirming the timeline, Dwi stated, “The victim was successfully evacuated at around 11 am,” providing clarity on the sequence of events that unfolded on Saturday (20 April).

Dwi emphasized that the incident was purely accidental, echoing the sentiment that authorities had been vigilant in advising tourists to exercise caution when traversing Mount Ijen’s terrain.

Meanwhile, Licin Police Chief Adjunct Police Commissioner Junaedi disclosed that Huang’s body had been transferred to the Blambangan Regional Hospital.

During this process, her husband and the tour guide accompanied the body to the medical facility.

Junaedi further described Huang’s condition, stating, “The victim’s condition suffered from impact injuries and a broken leg bone,” shedding light on the extent of the injuries sustained during the tragic fall.

He concluded by stating, “The plan is that the victim’s body will be taken back to her country,” indicating the next steps in handling the aftermath of the incident.