Two Austrian tourists die after suspension bridge collapses at Indonesian waterfall

JAKARTA/BANGKOK, May 26 — Two Austrian tourists have died in an accident on the Indonesian island of Flores, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

The authorities said on Monday the two holidaymakers fell from a suspension bridge leading through the jungle to the Cunca Wulang waterfall. The area is a popular tourist destination about a two-hour drive from the tourist resort of Labuan Bajo.

The bodies of the 55-year-old man and the 57-year-old woman were recovered on Sunday from a river below the bridge, according to the head of the local search and rescue agency, Fathur Rahman.

The couple’s tour guide told the website Hey Bali News that parts of the bridge had suddenly given way.

“They were walking side by side, smiling warmly towards the camera,” the guide reportedly told reporters. “Suddenly, I heard a very loud sound of breaking wood, like a large tree branch falling.”

Within seconds, several planks of the bridge had collapsed, sending the holidaymakers plunging some 20 metres. Photos published in local media showed a large hole in the suspension bridge.

Suspension bridges in remote areas of Indonesia are often built from local materials and not inspected regularly, the report on Hey Bali News said.

Fatal accidents at remote natural attractions are not uncommon in Indonesia. In December, four members of a family of six from Spain lost their lives when their boat capsized off Flores. — Bernama-dpa

المصدر: Malay Mail