A 30-year-old Queensland woman has died after falling about 80 metres from a cliff at Kelingking Beach on the Indonesian island of Nusa Penida.
Cronin Brianna Lani was walking along a steep, narrow route at the tourist attraction on Saturday morning when she fell into a ravine, according to local search and rescue officials.
Kelingking Beach is known for a rock formation resembling the head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and attracts thousands of visitors each year. The steep paths leading towards the beach have been described by some tourists as a “death trap”.
Nusa Penida Search and Rescue agency coordinator Cakra Negara said Ms Lani was believed to have fallen at about 9am. The incident was reported by a resident of Kelingking Village at approximately 9.50am.
Mr Negara said the woman had been attempting to find her own route towards the cliff edge before slipping and falling.
“Based on information from the scene, the victim is believed to have fallen at 9am,” he said.
“We immediately dispatched a rescue team to the scene and coordinated with other SAR personnel to carry out the evacuation operation.”
An initial plan to evacuate Ms Lani by sea was abandoned because of high waves along the shoreline. Rescuers instead secured her to a stretcher and carried her back up the difficult stairs at Kelingking Beach.
The operation took about an hour and a half because of the steep, narrow route and limited access. Mr Negara said Ms Lani had suffered several fractures to different parts of her body when she was found.
She was later taken to Griya Penida Medical Clinic. The rescue effort involved the Search and Rescue Agency, the Indonesian Navy, police, lifeguards and local residents.
Warnings about the dangers of the paths have circulated online for years. In a video posted in 2024, one traveller advised visitors not to attempt the descent to Diamond Beach on Nusa Penida.
“There have been numerous deaths over the years,” she wrote, adding that after climbing for 40 minutes, she and her companions had been forced to turn back because the final section was too difficult.
Following the latest tragedy, social media users criticised the condition of the routes. One wrote: “Not surprised. Death trap, that climb down,” while another said: “I went there last time, the paths are quite dangerous.”
