The wooden planks snapped. And two Austrian tourists fell 20 meters onto the rocks below.
Jurgen Perjul (55) and Astrid Perjul (57), believed to be husband and wife, died on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after the suspension bridge they were crossing at Cunca Wulang waterfall in West Manggarai Regency, NTT, gave way beneath them.
“The crossing planks broke, causing both victims to fall,” said Fathur Rahman, SAR Mission Coordinator at the Maumere SAR Office.
Photographs from the scene show a clear hole in the bridge deck — exactly where the tourists were walking.
What Happened
The couple arrived at the waterfall around 11:30 AM. The bridge, approximately 20 meters high, is the main access route to the tourist site. As they crossed, the wooden planks beneath their feet broke.
They fell directly onto large rocks below and died at the scene.
Their bodies were later evacuated by a joint SAR team to Komodo Regional Hospital in Labuan Bajo.
Cunca Wulang waterfall is one of Labuan Bajo’s inland tourist destinations, managed by the West Manggarai Tourism, Creative Economy, and Culture Agency.
Peter A. Rasyid, head of the agency, confirmed the deaths but said he was still gathering complete information.
“The tourists are from Austria. We do not yet know if they were husband and wife,” Peter said by phone.
The Bridge
Suspension bridges in remote Indonesian destinations are often built with local materials and maintained irregularly. Wood rots. Planks loosen. Railings weaken.
For tourists unfamiliar with the risks, a bridge that looks rustic can also be unsafe.
This one now has a hole where two people fell through.
Police have not yet announced whether the bridge had undergone recent safety inspections or who is responsible for its maintenance.
What This Means for Travelers
Labuan Bajo is known worldwide as the gateway to Komodo Island and its famous dragons. But the region also promotes inland attractions — waterfalls, trekking routes, and rural villages — as part of its growing eco-tourism sector.
For travelers planning to visit these sites, the incident is a reminder that infrastructure standards vary widely across Indonesia’s archipelago.
A bridge that feels charming in photographs can be deadly in reality.
Two Austrian tourists learned that on Sunday.
And two families in Austria are now waiting for answers from an island thousands of miles from home.
