Drowning of Indonesian teen at tourist spot spurs calls for tighter safety rules

Yusran first learned of the danger facing his teenage cousin, Elmi Febrianti, at an Indonesian tourist attraction in South Sulawesi when he received a frantic phone call from a family member. Elmi, a 17-year-old Indonesian student, had been at a popular photo spot in Apparalang, Bulukumba regency, when she fell into the sea on the afternoon of June 7 while taking a selfie on the area’s picturesque limestone cliffs. A friend who had been with the teenager at the time called her family, one of whom quickly reached Yusran the same day. Elmi fought for her life as giant waves repeatedly struck her. Footage captured by bystanders later spread online, showing her signalling for help as she struggled. “I called members of our wider family and told them to get to Apparalang immediately,” said Yusran, who like many Indonesians goes by a single name. “But by the time they got here, she had vanished.” Following a coordinated search by the Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency, Elmi’s body was found at midnight. She had been swept more than 1km (0.6 miles) from where she first fell into the water. “She had walked out onto a narrow wooden plank used by cliff jumpers to take a photograph when she was hit by a wave and carried out to sea,” Yusran said. “There was no safety equipment at the cliffs, and the weather was bad that day. It was so dangerous.” The incident at Apparalang has reignited concerns about safety at Indonesian tourist sites. Over the years, maritime and other transport accidents have cast a spotlight on poor safety standards, faulty equipment, decrepit infrastructure and a lack of accountability in the country. In May, two Austrian tourists died on the island of Flores after a wooden suspension bridge they were crossing near the famous Cunca Wulang Waterfall collapsed, throwing them onto the rocks below. A Saudi national was killed in a jet ski accident in West Java in January while riding in rough seas. And in December last year, four Spanish tourists died when the wooden tourist boat they had chartered sank near Padar Island, close to Labuan Bajo in Flores. Shana Fatina, a former director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority, said safety standards at Indonesian tourist destinations needed to improve. Shortcomings included a lack of warning signs, evacuation routes, first aid equipment, trained emergency response personnel and access to health facilities, she said. “Currently, many new tourist destinations across Indonesia are emerging, but the primary focus is often still on destination promotion, while safety aspects have not developed to the same standards.” Pursuing legal channels On the fatal incident at Apparalang, Yusran and search and rescue officials said there had been just one person on duty that day at the privately run site – an entry ticket seller. No life jackets, lifeboats or ladders were available. After Elmi’s body was found, Yusran urged her parents to file a police report, which they have since done. Local police are investigating whether negligence was a factor in her death. Yulius Benyamin Seran, a Bali-based lawyer, described the Apparalang incident as “a wake-up call for tourism operators”. “Both domestic and international tourists have the right to safe and adequate facilities, especially at tourist attractions officially managed by either the private sector or the local government,” he said. The case could lead to criminal or civil action, he added, describing the diving board as “clearly dangerous” and likely central to the police investigation. Investigators would be obliged to establish whether there was an element of “error or negligence”, the legal expert said. Under Indonesian law, any person who causes the death of another through negligence can face up to five years in prison. Abdul Fickar Hadjar, another expert in Indonesian criminal law, said that where an accident results from faulty equipment at a tourist attraction, the attraction would bear full responsibility for any injury or death caused by negligence. “Supervision from the central government or local government, as the licensing authority, must be stricter, thoroughly inspecting the attractions before permits are issued.” He added, however, that the broader community must also play its part in preventing such accidents by reporting shortcomings to the authorities. Shana agreed on the need for shared responsibility, saying safety measures should extend to adventure activities such as climbing, diving and nature exploration. “Management must provide adequate standards, facilities and information, while tourists must be aware of the rules and understand their own limits. The clearer the risk information provided, the safer the travel experience will be.” Yusran, meanwhile, expressed anger at the bystanders who witnessed Elmi’s distress and did not intervene – not even something as simple as throwing a piece of wood for her to cling to while awaiting rescue. The people who filmed her and did nothing are the worst people ever Yusran, on his cousin Elmi Febrianti’s drowning Calling for them to “be held responsible in the hereafter”, he said Elmi’s family was struggling to come to terms with their loss, but had found some solace in the belief that “she has returned to God”. “The people who filmed her and did nothing are the worst people ever. They just treated it like a circus,” Yusran said. “We also feel it is important to pursue legal channels, and that local governments will be more diligent in managing tourism spaces to make sure that this never happens to anyone again. I hope anyone found responsible feels the full force of the law.”

Drowning of Indonesian teen at tourist spot spurs calls for tighter safety rules

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Several tourists have died in Indonesia while taking part in outdoor activities, prompting calls for operators to be held accountable

Several tourists have died in Indonesia while taking part in outdoor activities, prompting calls for operators to be held accountable