The 61-year-old arrived from Singapore the day before his body was discovered. Investigators found military-related documents and a handwritten will, as authorities coordinate with the Canadian Embassy.
LABUAN BAJO, East Nusa Tenggara — A Canadian national has been found dead in his hotel room in Labuan Bajo, a day after arriving in Indonesia on a tourist visa, authorities said Saturday. Police are awaiting post-mortem examination results to determine the cause of death.
The body of the 61-year-old man, identified by his initials ML, was discovered Friday afternoon at the Greenhill Hotel in West Manggarai Regency. Hotel staff found him unresponsive in his room and immediately reported the incident to local authorities.
ML had arrived in Labuan Bajo on February 12 aboard a direct flight from Singapore and checked into the hotel the same day, according to Charles Christian Mathaus, head of the Labuan Bajo Immigration Office.
“He entered, arrived in Labuan Bajo from Singapore, and stayed at the hotel on February 12, 2026,” Mathaus said Saturday.
Documents and Personal Effects
Police searching the room discovered documents appearing to indicate prior military affiliation, including a Canadian Armed Forces membership card and military police insignia. The items have not been independently verified by Canadian authorities.
Other personal effects recovered from the room included a passport, wallet, and CAA insurance documents, said AKP Lufthi Darmawan Aditya, chief of the West Manggarai Police Criminal Investigation Unit.
Investigators also found a handwritten document believed to be a will. Lufthi declined to disclose its contents, stating that the document forms part of the ongoing investigation.
Investigation and International Coordination
Immigration officials and local police are coordinating with the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta regarding notification of next of kin and further processing of the case.
Authorities have not released the exact cause of death, stating they are awaiting post-mortem examination results from the Komodo Hospital in Labuan Bajo, where the body currently remains.
While preliminary assessments have suggested suicide, police emphasize that this remains unconfirmed pending forensic investigation. No autopsy results have been released.
Background
ML had entered Indonesia using a visa-on-arrival for tourism purposes, standard procedure for Canadian citizens visiting the country. Labuan Bajo serves as the primary gateway for tourists visiting Komodo National Park, home to the Komodo dragons, and has seen increasing international visitor numbers in recent years.
Police have not indicated whether ML had any known connections in Indonesia, what led him to choose Labuan Bajo as his destination, or whether he had communicated with anyone during his brief stay.
Hotel management has cooperated with the investigation, authorities said. The establishment continues normal operations.
The Canadian Embassy in Jakarta has been notified and is expected to assist with repatriation arrangements once the post-mortem examination is complete and local authorities release the body.
Police have not announced a timeline for the completion of the autopsy or the investigation.
