An autopsy has revealed the devastating cause of death for Juliana Marins, the Brazilian tourist who fell into an Indonesian volcano.
The 29-year-old dancer and publicist was climbing Mount Rinjani, the second-highest volcano in Indonesia, in the early hours of June 21 when she fell.
East Lombok Police spokesperson AKP Nikolas Osman said Marins had been hiking with a group and stopped to rest after feeling fatigued while their guide continued ahead. When the guide returned, Marins had slipped and fallen 305 meters into a ravine.
Drone footage captured by passing hikers initially showed the woman alive, sitting with her legs splayed and looking distressed as tourists shouted words of encouragement.
However, fluctuating weather and heavy fog delayed rescue teams, who took four days to recover her body, eventually locating her much further down the mountain on June 24.
An autopsy conducted by Indonesian authorities confirmed that Marins died from severe trauma to “almost all parts of her body,” with significant injuries to her back, limbs, and chest.
“I could see that the worst [injuries] were related to the respiratory system, and there were wounds to the chest area, and especially the chest and the back. These injuries damaged the internal organs. We saw a huge amount of bleeding in the chest cavity,” forensic specialist Dr. Ida Bagus Putu Alit said, per News.com.au.
She also sustained a head injury and a broken left thigh bone, but the head injury was not the primary cause of death.
Dr. Ida explained the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma typically caused by contact with flat, dense objects, likely the rocks and pebbles that make up Mount Rinjani’s terrain. “She died very quickly from her injuries,” he said.
Asked how Marins could have been alive in the drone footage if she died within 20 minutes, Dr. Ida clarified that he had not seen the video and based his findings on her injuries.
He estimated her death occurred 12 to 24 hours before his examination, but rescuers who found her on Tuesday reported no signs of life, highlighting the challenges of determining exact timelines.
Experts confirmed that such differences are common due to environmental factors and cold storage complicating post-mortem decay.
“Time of death can only be determined based on a time span,” Dr. Iwan Aflanie, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Lambung Mangkurat University, explained.
Marins’ family has refused to accept the initial autopsy results, and a second autopsy will be conducted in Brazil. Her loved ones have accused the rescue operation of negligence, claiming the delays cost her life.
“Juliana suffered great negligence on the part of the rescue team,” they said in a statement shared by TV Globo. “If the team had reached her within the estimated time of seven hours, Juliana would still be alive. Juliana deserved much more. Now we are going to seek justice for her, because that is what she deserves! Don’t give up on Juliana!”
Her father, Manoel Marins, identified her body at Bhayangkara Hospital, saying: “The Brazilian government, which we’ve tried to contact, is also not helping us. This is very sad and extremely serious.
"She is a 26-year-old girl, a Brazilian citizen, and no one, except family and friends, seems to care," he added, as reported by Newsweek.
Her sister, Marianna, alleged the Indonesian rescue team provided misleading updates and falsely told them Marins was receiving food and water. “The Indonesian government is lying, and the embassy is not verifying the facts before informing us,” she said.
Before Marins' journey, she sent a heartfelt final message to her mother, reflecting her fearless spirit and love for her family.
“Mami, I love you so much. I was heartbroken when we said goodbye,” she wrote. “In fact, that’s the only thing that worries me: letting you, papi, or my sister be disappointed. Other than that, I’m not afraid of much, much less trouble.
“I was raised by a woman who can solve any problem and who is not afraid to take the plunge and go after her dreams. I am like that too. I have different desires and dreams. I love you all very much! And I will always be grateful for all the support, care, and affection. That is what makes me not afraid.”
In the wake of her death, Indonesian authorities pledged to review safety measures on popular trekking routes, including installing more posts, improving communication, and introducing RFID tracking technology for climbers to enable faster rescue operations.