Mohamad Azfar bin Tahir, 24, and Mohamad Ezzaq Azraf bin Azumi, 24, were reportedly killed when they fell into the river at the waterfall on Saturday. A local guide, Wenseslaus Hendro Akung, 39, from Warsawe village, Mbeliling, also died in the incident. The bodies of the three victims were recovered on Sunday.

The search operation involved a team from the Labuan Bajo Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), supported by Sano Nggoang Police, military personnel from the Lembor Military Sub-District Command (Koramil) and the Navy post in Labuan Bajo, as well as local people.

West Manggarai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Supyanto said the bodies of the Malaysian tourists were flown from Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo to Jakarta on Monday before being flown on to Malaysia. The body of the local guide will be sent to his home town, he added.

Supyanto said that according to the police’s preliminary investigation, it was suspected that the tourists slipped and fell into the river at the waterfall. It is unclear how Wenseslaus met his death, although it is suspected the guide may have been negligent prior to the tragedy.

“The police are still investigating the incident,” said Supyanto.

A senior guide from West Manggarai, Gabriel Pampur, said he had given safety training to Warsawe residents acting as guides for tourists exploring Cunca Wulang waterfall.

“Local guides must have adequate knowledge about standard operating procedures in guiding and rescuing tourists during emergency situations at tourism locations. Local guides must be able to give assistance to tourists if untoward incidents occur,” he told thejakartapost.com on Monday.

Pampur said safety equipment such as life jackets must be used. It is thought that neither the tourists nor the guide were wearing life jackets while at the waterfall.

 “I hope the West Manggarai administration makes regulations for local guides. Our administration should open their eyes to the need to regulate local guides. They should not only think about regional revenues, paying little attention to the safety of tourists and their guides,” said Pampur.

Chairman of the West Manggarai branch of the Indonesia Tour Guides Association (HPI), Sebastianus Pandang, feared the incident could damage the area’s reputation among tourists. Sebastianus said Cunca Wulang waterfall was a nature-tourism destination in West Manggarai. Tourists often jumped from rocks into the waterfall. The river was narrow and rocky and had a fast-flowing current, he added.

“Local guides in Warsawe village have poor knowledge of safety procedures for tourists visiting the location,” said Sebastianus. He said a guide in Cunca Wulang waterfall must be able to explain in detail about the conditions at the waterfall to tourists. In the dry season, for instance, the depth of the Cunca Wulang River was around 10-13 meters.

Sebastianus said Saturday’s incident occurred during the rainy season, in which the depth of the river was 18-20 meters. He further explained that the two Malaysian tourists apparently did not use a professional tour guide.

“We, tour guides in Labuan Bajo, have always called on foreign and domestic tourists to use only professional tour guides, who have already received HPI training,” he said. (ebf)

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