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The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Chinese tourist drowns off Indonesia's pink beach after skipping life jacket to pose for camera
Famous for its pink sand, Long Beach is a popular dive site located in the Padar Island within the national park. - Komodo Tour Boat website via ST/ANN JAKARTA: A Chinese tourist drowned while swimming off Long Beach at Indonesia's Komodo National Park on June 18, after reportedly ignoring safety advice to wear a life jacket. The victim, identified by local media as Qiu Yan, 30, had been part of a tour group visiting the national park — a cluster of islands in East Nusa Tenggara province, known for its rugged beauty and its population of Komodo dragons. Long Beach is a popular dive site located in the Padar Island within the national park. It is famous for its pink sand that gets its unique colour from red marine microscopic organisms called foraminifera. According to a statement from the West Manggarai police, Qiu entered the sea without a life jacket despite being cautioned by her guide. 'She was reminded to use one before going into the water, but she refused,' said police spokesman Hery Suryana in comments shared with an Indonesian news site, on June 19. Qiu had been travelling with ten others on a liveaboard tour. Her tour guide Anselmus Raden, 24, recounted that she wanted to take pictures before putting on the life jacket. 'We had told her to wear it, but she said she just wanted to pose for photos first,' he said. Moments later, others in the group raised the alarm that she had gone under. 'There was foam and blood coming from her mouth and nose,' said Hery. Qiu was transported to the Komodo Health Centre, but despite efforts by medical staff to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead. Police said the cause of death was likely due to significant water entering her lungs. A rescue team later transported her body to Komodo Regional General Hospital in Labuan Bajo - the main entry point to Komodo National Park - using a rigid inflatable boat and a fast boat provided by the local port authority. Qiu had been on a three-day tour, which had set off from Nusantara Port on June 17. Authorities have since reiterated the need for strict adherence to safety protocols during marine tourism activities in the park. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Chinese tourist drowns during tour at Indonesia's Komodo National Park after skipping life jacket
Famous for its pink sand, Long Beach is a popular dive site located in the Padar Island within the national park. PHOTO: KOMODO TOUR BOAT WEBSITE Chinese tourist drowns off Indonesia's pink beach after skipping life jacket to pose for camera A Chinese tourist drowned while swimming off Long Beach at Indonesia's Komodo National Park on June 18 , after reportedly ignoring safety advice to wear a life jacket. The victim, identified by local media as Ms Qiu Yan, 30, had been part of a tour group visiting the national park — a cluster of islands in East Nusa Tenggara province, known for its rugged beauty and its population of Komodo dragons. Long Beach is a popular dive site located in the Padar Island within the national park. It is famous for its pink sand that gets its unique colour from red marine microscopic organisms called foraminifera. According to a statement from the West Manggarai police, Ms Qiu entered the sea without a life jacket despite being cautioned by her guide. 'She was reminded to use one before going into the water, but she refused,' said police spokesman Hery Suryana in comments shared with an Indonesian news site, on June 19. Ms Qiu had been travelling with 10 others on a liveaboard tour. Her tour guide M r Anselmus Rade n, 24, recounted that she wanted to take pictures before putting on the life jacket. Ms Qiu Yan was told to put on a live jacket, but she refused to, a local tour guide says. PHOTO: WEST MANGGARAI POLICE DEPARTMENT 'We had told her to wear it, but she said she just wanted to pose for photos first,' he said. Moments later, others in the group raised the alarm that she had gone under. She was pulled from the water unconscious at about 9.30am local time (10.30am Singapore time) and given immediate first aid on shore. Mr Anselmus attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. 'There was foam and blood coming from her mouth and nose,' said Mr Hery. Ms Qiu was transported to the Komodo Health Centre, but despite efforts by medical staff to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead. Police said the cause of death was likely due to significant water entering her lungs. A rescue team later transported her body to Komodo Regional General Hospital in Labuan Bajo - the main entry point to Komodo National Park - using a rigid inflatable boat and a fast boat provided by the local port authority. Ms Qiu had been on a three-day tour , which had set off from Nusantara Port on June 17. Authorities have since reiterated the need for strict adherence to safety protocols during marine tourism activities in the park. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Businesses grapple with Bali's single-use plastics ban
DENPASAR, Bali: Businesses in Bali are struggling to adapt to the recent ban on single-use plastics on the holiday island, with many resorting to less sustainable alternatives or expressing frustration over the lack of support and guidance from local authorities. In April, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster issued a circular banning the use of plastic bags, cups, straws and styrofoam in businesses, government offices, schools, hotels, restaurants, markets and places of worship, as part of broader efforts to tackle the island's growing waste problem. Businesses that fail to comply may face permit revocation, while villages that do not enforce the policy risk losing government assistance. Since the regulation took effect, many cafes, coffee shops and restaurants in Bali have begun replacing single-use plastic cups with paper alternatives. However, Catur Yuda Hariyani, director of the Bali Environmental Education Center (PPLH), argued that the shift to paper cups does little to address the island's mounting waste problem. 'We're simply replacing one type of waste with another,' Catur said on Monday (June 9) as reported by 'What's worse is that paper cups are even harder to recycle because they contain a plastic lining to make them waterproof. This lining must be separated during the recycling process, but it's extremely difficult to do. As a result, many recyclers won't accept them,' he added. He also warned that many businesses are now using paper cups to serve hot beverages, which poses health risks to consumers. According to Catur, the inner plastic lining of paper cups contains components such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can leach into hot liquids. Hot water can also break down the plastic lining, potentially releasing microplastics into the drink. A 2020 study in India found that within just 15 minutes, a single paper cup of hot coffee or tea can release up to 25,000 microplastic particles into the beverage. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that micro- and nanoplastics can cause significant harm to the human body, including cell damage, inflammation, oxidative stress and immune system disruption. Meanwhile, exposure to both bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates can disrupt the endocrine system, potentially affecting reproductive development and behaviour, as well as increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Sellers in traditional markets have also expressed frustration over the lack of practical solutions and guidance from the government following the ban on single-use plastic bags across the island, saying the policy has disrupted their livelihood. 'If I don't use plastic, what can I use to wrap my products, especially since I sell ground spices like pepper and clove?', said Sindy, a spice vendor at Badung Market in Denpasar, in a recent interview. Rian, a raw chicken seller at the market, shares a similar struggle. 'Buyers rarely bring their own containers and often ask me to put the chicken in plastic bags. Sometimes they even ask me to double-bag to prevent leaks,' he said. Bali has been grappling with a growing waste crisis in recent years, with unmanaged garbage frequently contributing to environmental problems such as flooding, including in popular tourist areas. A 2019 study revealed that Bali generates 1.6 million tonnes of trash per year with around 303,000 tonnes of plastic waste. However, only some 48 per cent of Bali's waste is responsibly managed either through recycling or landfill. A significant portion of collected waste never reaches a recycling facility or any of Bali's 10 official landfills, leading to 33,000 tonnes of plastic leaking into waterways every year. Governor Wayan previously stated that nearly all landfill sites in Bali have reached full capacity, with the majority of the waste consisting of single-use plastics, particularly water bottles. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
11-05-2025
- The Star
Saudi Arabia nabs 30 Indonesian 'pilgrims' for visa violation
An employee places a special shoulder strap on the luggage of haj pilgrims on May 6, 2025, at the Donohudan haj dormitory in Boyolali, Central Java. - Antara JAKARTA: Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested 30 Indonesian travellers at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah for entering the country to go on haj without the appropriate visa. Instead of the visas issued specifically for the haj and umrah (minor pilgrimage), the group had arrived on a type of visit visa known as ziarah, which allows foreign nationals to enter Saudi Arabia for a certain period to pursue non-pilgrimage activities, such as visiting family or travelling to historical sites. The entry date for holders of the ziarah visa ended on April 13, after which only haj visa holders may enter to complete the pilgrimage. But ziarah visa holders can still enter Saudi Arabia for non-pilgrimage activities. 'They paid Rp 150 million [US$9,090] for the visa, despite being fully aware that their visa cannot be used for haj,' Indonesian Consul General in Jeddah Yuson B. Ambary said on Thursday, as quoted by Yusron said the consulate general in Jeddah had previously received a notice from Saudi immigration authorities that 50 Indonesians had tried to enter the country for haj using the seasonal worker visa and were immediately deported. Hilman Latief, director general of haj and umrah organisation at the Religious Affairs Ministry, repeatedly warned potential pilgrims that they would not be allowed to enter Mecca without the haj visa. 'Be careful of parties offering [visa] services without legal clarity to avoid potential fraud,' Hilman said on May 1 during the send-off ceremony for the first group of Indonesian pilgrims, as quoted by Local officials noted that some travel agencies offered a more affordable haj package compared to the government's and promised easier processing, but had provided customers with tourist visas instead. Foreign visitors caught attempting to go on haj without the proper visa can face sanctions such as a maximum fine of 10,000 Saudi Arabian riyal (Rp 440 million), detention or deportation. Riyadh has increased patrols and surveillance in a clampdown on illegal pilgrims for haj 2025, which runs from June 4 to 9. It has granted Indonesia a quota of 221,000 pilgrims this year. An estimated 1.8 million Muslims from across the globe are expected to travel to Mecca for haj this year. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
