A holiday trip turned tragic after two Austrian tourists plunged to their deaths when a suspension bridge suddenly gave way at the popular Cunca Wulang Waterfall in Indonesia’s Flores island.
The victims, a 55-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman, reportedly fell nearly 20 metres into the river below after wooden planks on the bridge snapped while they were crossing.
Authorities said the horrifying incident happened at the tourist attraction located about two hours from the resort town of Labuan Bajo, a hotspot for international travellers visiting eastern Indonesia.
Local search and rescue chief Fathur Rahman confirmed that both bodies were recovered on Sunday.
According to the couple’s tour guide, the pair had been walking side by side and smiling at the camera moments before disaster struck.
“Suddenly I heard a very loud cracking sound, like a huge tree branch breaking,” the guide told local media outlet Hey Bali News.
Within seconds, several wooden planks on the suspension bridge collapsed, causing the tourists to fall through the structure and into the river below.
Photos shared by local media showed a massive hole in the middle of the damaged bridge, raising fresh concerns over safety standards at remote tourist attractions in Indonesia.
Reports stated that suspension bridges in rural parts of Indonesia are often built using local materials and may not undergo regular safety inspections.
Fatal accidents at isolated nature tourism sites are not uncommon in Indonesia. In another tragedy last December, four members of a Spanish family died after their boat capsized in waters near Flores.
The latest incident is expected to intensify calls for stricter maintenance and safety checks at tourist hotspots frequently visited by foreign travellers.
