Juliana Marins, 26, slipped and fell nearly 1,000 feet while climbing Mount Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia on a guided hike – and her body was found after a four-day search effort
One backpacker tragically lost her life after a tour guide abandoned her when she fell into a volcano in Indonesia, with one haunting photo taken of her final moments.
Juliana Marins, 26, sent her mother a heartbreaking text message at the start of her South East Asian adventure.
Juliana, slipped and plummeted nearly 1,000 feet while climbing Mount Rinjani, in Lombok, on a guided hike on June 21, 2025 at around 6.30 am.
The publicist and pole dancer, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, disappeared after falling into the crater – with her body eventually recovered following a four-day search operation.
Local police revealed Juliana had stopped to rest due to fatigue while the guide pressed on with the remainder of the group. Tragically, she was found dead upon his return.
It emerged Juliana told Estela Marins she was “fearless” and said she was determined to pursue her dreams.
In a message broadcast on Brazilian programme Fantastico, Juliana wrote: “Mami, I love you so much. I was heartbroken when we said goodbye.
“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.”
She said she had no fear of life’s hardships, crediting her upbringing by a strong woman.
“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,” Juliana texted, according to the BBC.
“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 fearless.”
The initial autopsy was carried out at a hospital in Bali on June 26. The coroner concluded her death resulted from “trauma” – and that she would have died within 20 minutes.
She was found to have suffered serious fractures and haemorrhaging.
But, the exact timing of the fatal injury remains unclear, as between the moment she fell and the day before she was discovered dead, she was heard screaming and spotted on drone footage, still alive.
Agam Rinjani, a volunteer who led one of the rescue teams, told O Globo once they found her, the team stayed with Marins overnight on the edge of a 500-metre cliff.
Juliana’s family branded the rescue operation as “botched” and alleged that the tour guide abandoned her.
Her sister, Mariana Marins, said: “Juliana was in this group, but she got very tired and asked to stop for a while. They kept going, and the guide didn’t stay with her.”
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry described her death as a tragedy, stating the country’s embassy in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, had co-ordinated the rescue effort alongside local authorities. Officials did not confirm the exact time of her death.
In an Instagram post, Juliana’s family expressed their gratitude to the countless Brazilians who had prayed for their daughter’s safety.
Juliana had been living in Niteroi, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, and was travelling across Asia, having visited the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand before arriving in Indonesia.
In total, 50 people have been involved in the rescue operation, search and rescue head Mohammad Syaffi said in a statement. It was made difficult by poor visibility and rocky terrain.
The 3,726m volcano attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Several people have died trying to climb it in recent years – including a Malaysian tourist last month, Reuters news agency reported.







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