2 Austrian tourists die after suspension bridge collapses at Indonesian waterfall
Authorities said the accident occurred at the Cunca Wulang waterfall, a tourist attraction located about a two-hour drive from the resort town of Labuan Bajo.
The victims, a 55-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman, fell into a river below the bridge after sections of the structure reportedly gave way while they were crossing it on Sunday.
Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency, said the bodies were later recovered from the river beneath the bridge.
The couple’s tour guide told local outlet Hey Bali News that the pair had been walking side by side moments before the collapse.
“Suddenly, I heard a very loud sound of breaking wood, like a large tree branch falling,” the guide added.
Several wooden planks reportedly broke apart, causing the tourists to plunge around 20 meters into the river below, Malay Mail reported.
Suspension bridges in remote areas of Indonesia are often built from local materials and not inspected regularly, according to Hey Bali News.
Fatal accidents involving tourists at remote natural attractions have occurred periodically in Indonesia.
In December last year, four members of a Spanish family died after their boat capsized off the coast of Flores.
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