[Watch] Malaysian Tourists Use Drone To Locate Brazilian Hiker In Mount Rinjani Ravine
Using their DJI Mini 3 Pro drone, they conducted multiple search flights over 2-3 hours, successfully locating 26-year-old Brazilian influencer Juliana Marins approximately 300 meters below the cliff face.
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A group of Malaysian tourists helped locate a missing Brazilian hiker who had fallen into a ravine on Mount Rinjani using their drone, in an incident that occurred on Saturday morning (21 June).
Despite the rescue efforts, the victim was later found deceased.
The three Malaysian hikers (@natadecoco_ee, @angelllneo, and @ruieesruiees) were descending Mount Rinjani around 10 am when they were approached by other climbers seeking help.
The group had chosen not to reach the summit and were waiting for their teammates while taking photos and videos with their DJI Mini 3 Pro drone, for which they had obtained proper permits.
‘We Ran Over to Help’: Tourists’ Immediate Response
When told that someone had fallen off a cliff, the tourists were initially shocked but immediately agreed to help.
According to their social media account, the victim, later identified as 26-year-old Brazilian influencer Juliana Marins, had fallen between 5:30 am and 6:00 am that morning.
Other hikers at the scene claimed they had already contacted emergency services and were waiting for rescue teams to arrive.
“We thought they were asking about the drone video (we had a permit). But as we walked closer, they told us someone had fallen from the cliff—they needed our help to find her. So we ran over to help,” @natadecoco_ee recounted in their detailed social media post.
Multiple Drone Search Attempts
@natadecoco_ee quickly deployed the drone while @angelllneo provided support.
The search involved multiple attempts:
- 1st attempt: Failed to locate the victim
- 2nd attempt: Successfully located Juliana approximately 200-300 meters below the cliff face
- 3rd attempt: Worked with tour guides to create written messages for the victim
- 4th attempt: Continued monitoring and encouragement efforts
From the aerial footage, Juliana appeared to be sitting upright with no visible physical injuries and showed clear signs of consciousness, turning her head and moving her hands when the drone approached.
The fall was later determined to be approximately 300 meters down the volcano’s side, making it an extremely challenging rescue operation.
Sustained Monitoring and Encouragement
The tourists conducted the drone flights over a 2-3 hour period to monitor Juliana’s condition, working with local guides and other hikers to maintain contact with the victim through continuous vocal encouragement.
“We kept shouting ‘Juliana stay awake’, ‘Juliana don’t fall asleep’, ‘Juliana your family is waiting for you’, ‘Juliana you can make it, stay awake’,” they recounted, noting that the situation nearly brought them to tears.
The team worked with tour guides to create written messages that could be read from above, including words of encouragement to communicate their presence to Juliana and keep her conscious.
They also attached a cloth banner with the word “wait” to the drone so that the victim could see that help was on the way and understand that rescue efforts were underway.
Due to poor mobile signal coverage on the mountain, the Malaysian tourists shared the drone footage directly with rescuers and other hikers present at the scene.
They worked with local guides and other climbers to maintain contact with rescue teams throughout the incident, providing regular updates on the victim’s condition and location coordinates obtained through the drone surveillance.
The tourists emphasised their role as travellers, not professional rescue personnel: “We are not a rescue team but travellers from Malaysia,” they clarified, highlighting their willingness to assist despite not being trained emergency responders.
Tragic Outcome
Despite the immediate response and coordinated rescue efforts, Juliana Marins’ body was recovered four days after the accident.
The challenging terrain and extreme depth of the fall on the active volcano made the rescue operation particularly difficult for professional search teams.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched, and Juliana’s family was informed of the tragic loss.
The 26-year-old Brazilian influencer’s death highlights the inherent dangers of hiking on Mount Rinjani, an active volcano in Lombok, Indonesia.
Update: Juliana Marins' family has sadly confirmed that, although rescuers were eventually able to reach her, she was found dead. https://t.co/xVfbH3KVID pic.twitter.com/rrB4HScxXw
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) June 24, 2025
Privacy and Professional Conduct
The Malaysian tourists emphasised that all drone footage would only be shared with the victim’s family and rescue teams to protect privacy.
They indicated their willingness to provide the original recordings if needed for the investigation or family purposes.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we hope the rescue team got to her in time,” the ladies wrote, expressing their emotional investment in the rescue effort despite being strangers who happened upon the emergency situation.
The group acknowledged the restricted use of drones on Mount Rinjani but expressed gratitude that their official permits allowed them to assist in this emergency situation.
Meanwhile, condolence messages have begun to fill social media for Julie as news of the tragic incident spreads among the hiking and travel communities.
Many of the tributes are appearing in Portuguese, the official language of Brazil, suggesting strong connections to her home country and the Brazilian community abroad.
Ela seguiu sorrindo como sempre fez, agora nas trilhas do céu, guiada pelo amor que nunca termina.
— R O M E U 🐦⬛ (@sergiorochw) June 24, 2025
Juliana Marins. 🌷
1999 – 2025 pic.twitter.com/x1hNwWYHFC
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