Rescue Efforts Ongoing for Hiker Trapped in Active Volcano
Rescue teams are still working to save Brazilian tourist Juliana Marins, 26, who has been trapped inside an active volcano in Indonesia for four days. On Monday, a rescue attempt was undertaken but had to be aborted due to conditions in the volcano.
According to a press release from the Gunung Rinjani National Park, Marins fell from a cliff near Cemara Nunggal at around 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, June 21, on the Indonesian island of Lombok while hiking to the peak of peak of Mount Rinjani. On June 23, the park issued an update announcing that SAR, a local rescue division, had “successfully monitored [Marins] using a drone, in a position stuck on a rock cliff at a depth of 500 meters and visually motionless.”
“Two rescue personnel were deployed to reach the victim's location and check the second anchor point at a depth of 350m (1,140 ft). However, after observation, two large overhangs were found before reaching the victim, making it impossible to install the anchor. The rescue team had to climb to reach the victim,” the statement explained.
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“Climate conditions” have also stymied rescue efforts, with thick fog making it difficult for assisting helicopters to extricate Marins. However, rescuers have been able to provide her with food and water. “The team remains on standby and committed to continuing the best efforts for safety,” the statement added.
On Monday, Marins’s family took to Instagram to issue an urgent plea for help in the rescue efforts. “A whole day and they had advanced only 250m below, they were 350m away from Juliana, and they retreated,” the caption read. “We need help, we need the rescue to reach Juliana urgently!”
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.