A large-scale rescue operation is underway on Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani after 26-year-old Brazilian tourist Juliana Marins fell into the crater area of the active volcano during a hike over the weekend. Despite efforts by Indonesian authorities and local mountaineers, treacherous conditions and ongoing challenges have stalled rescue attempts.

Marins, a publicist from Niterói near Rio de Janeiro, had been travelling across Southeast Asia and was documenting her backpacking journey through countries like Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia on Instagram. Her disappearance has sparked international concern and drawn widespread attention online, with a dedicated Instagram account following her rescue amassing hundreds of thousands of followers.

Fell during a group trek

The incident occurred early on Saturday morning, around 6:30 a.m. local time, while Marins was on a group trek near the crater of Mount Rinjani, Lombok’s active volcano and Indonesia’s second-highest peak. According to The Independent, Juliana’s sister, Marianna Marins, said that Juliana had asked the guide to stop for a rest. The guide allegedly chose to press ahead with the group, leaving her behind. Upon returning, the guide discovered that she had fallen from the trail into the crater area below.

Initial drone footage released by the Gunung Rinjani National Park showed Marins wedged on a rocky ledge approximately 500 metres (1,640 feet) down the volcano. Though she appeared motionless at first, rescuers later reported hearing her cries for help, indicating she had survived the fall, BBC reported.

Rescue attempts hampered by terrain and weather

Attempts to reach her have been severely hindered by thick fog, rugged terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions. Helicopter access has been ruled out, and rescue teams have repeatedly been forced to retreat for their own safety.

On Monday, park authorities confirmed that Marins had been spotted again—this time farther down from her initial location. However, adverse weather halted the efforts once more. According to her family, rescuers had managed to descend only 250 metres before having to pull back, with 350 metres still separating them from where she was last seen.

Family appeals for urgent help

Marins’ family has taken to social media to demand faster and more decisive action. They expressed frustration at the slow pace of the rescue, saying that their daughter had gone without food, water or warm clothing for days.

The family released a statement highlighting the lack of progress: rescuers had advanced only a few hundred metres in an entire day before retreating again. They added that tourists continued to access the same trail from which Juliana fell, while she remained in a precarious condition below.

Conflicting information and coordination issues

Family members also criticised the communication from local authorities. They said they first found out about Juliana’s disappearance through social media and claimed to have received contradictory updates, some suggesting she had been reached and provided with basic aid, a claim the family strongly disputes, Independent reported.

The Brazilian embassy in Jakarta is reportedly coordinating communication between Marins’ family and the tour operator involved in the hike. Although the embassy has not issued a public statement, Brazilian officials have confirmed that two diplomats are now closely monitoring the rescue efforts on site.

Trail conditions and past incidents

Other hikers in Marins’ group described the trek as physically demanding, with extremely cold temperatures and poor visibility at the time of the accident. One of them said the group had only a small lantern to navigate the slippery terrain before sunrise.

Indonesia’s forestry ministry defended the decision to keep the trail open, saying closing it would have caused confusion for climbers who had already made online bookings and travelled long distances. Park officials said they had warned hikers to avoid the ongoing rescue zone.

Mount Rinjani, which rises over 3,700 metres, is a popular trekking destination but has seen several fatal accidents in recent years. A Portuguese hiker died in 2022 after falling from a summit cliff, while a Malaysian climber lost his life in May 2025 under similar circumstances.

As of Tuesday, rescue efforts have resumed, with two expert local mountaineers equipped with specialised gear dispatched to reach Marins. Her current condition remains unknown.