JAKARTA, Jan 7 – Tourism safety in Indonesia has come under renewed scrutiny following the death of a Saudi tourist and critical injuries sustained by a local woman in a jet ski accident off the coast of Pelabuhanratu, Sukabumi regency, West Java.
Head of the Sukabumi Air and Water Police, Adj Comr Dadi, said the incident occurred at about 5 pm on Monday (Jan 6).
The deceased was identified as 39-year-old Saudi national Al Muhanna Hadan Radhi, who was riding a jet ski with his friend, Siti Maryam, a 41-year-old woman from Bogor, when the accident happened.
“Radhi is believed to have attempted to ride through high waves before losing control of the jet ski, causing it to overturn and trap both riders offshore,” Dadi said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Both victims were rescued by residents and rushed to Palabuhanratu Regional General Hospital. Radhi later succumbed to severe head injuries, while Siti remains in critical condition and is undergoing intensive treatment.
According to Dadi, Radhi was on holiday with Indonesian friends and had been staying at a hotel in Pelabuhanratu. He had rented the jet ski from a local operator, who claimed that safety instructions and operating guidance had been provided before the ride.
Police have questioned several witnesses, although authorities have yet to confirm whether the incident is being investigated for possible negligence.
The fatal accident comes less than two weeks after two Spanish tourists were killed and two others went missing when their boat capsized in rough seas in the Padar Island Strait, East Nusa Tenggara, near the popular resort town of Labuan Bajo.
Authorities said the vessel suffered engine failure approximately 30 minutes after departing from Kalong Island at around 9 p.m. Unable to manoeuvre, the boat was struck by waves measuring between two and three metres before capsizing.
The victims were identified as Fernando Martín, a coach with Spanish football club Valencia CF Femenino B, and three of his children. The bodies of Martín and his 12-year-old daughter have been recovered, while search efforts continue for the two missing boys.
Indonesia has faced recurring criticism over tourism safety, with observers highlighting weak enforcement of safety standards and the need for stronger oversight.
In August, two Chinese nationals were killed, and an Indonesian man went missing after a speedboat carrying about 80 passengers sank and ran aground near Sanur Port in Bali. In June, a Brazilian tourist died after falling into a ravine on Mount Rinjani in Lombok, an incident that drew international attention over the lack of safety equipment and what was described as slow evacuation efforts.
Following the recent incidents, a lawmaker has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Indonesia’s tourism safety and security standards.
Evita Nursanty, deputy chair of the House of Representatives Commission VII, which oversees tourism and industry, said that safety and security must be treated as a core pillar of tourism development, alongside accessibility, amenities, and attractions.
“Repeated accidents at tourist destinations show that safety has not yet become a top policy priority. One life lost is a systemic failure and must not be treated as normal,” she said in a statement on Monday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
Evita stressed that protecting tourists, tourism workers and local communities should be given equal importance to efforts aimed at increasing visitor numbers, length of stay and tourism spending.
Indonesia has the world’s second-longest coastline and lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Safety risks are inherent in maritime, land and air tourism, and they must be anticipated,” she added.
