JAKARTA: A Saudi has died and a local tourist is in critical condition after a jet ski accident off the coast of Pelabuhanratu, in Sukabumi regency, West Java, underscoring renewed concerns over tourism safety.
Head of the Sukabumi Air and Water Police Adj Comr Dadi said the accident occurred at around 5pm on Monday (Jan 6).
The victim, identified as 39-year-old Saudi national Al Muhanna Hadan Radhi, was riding a jet ski with a friend, Siti Maryam, a 41-year-old woman from Bogor, when the incident occurred.
“Radhi was suspected of attempting to ride through high waves when he lost control of the jet ski, causing it to overturn offshore and trap both riders,” Dadi said on Monday as quoted by Kompas.com.
The victims were rescued by nearby residents and taken to Palabuhanratu Regional General Hospital, where Radhi later died from severe head injuries. Siti remains in critical condition and is undergoing intensive treatment.
Dadi said Radhi was on holiday with Indonesian friends and was staying at a local hotel in Pelabuhanratu.
He had rented the jet ski from a local operator, who claimed to have provided Radhi with operating instructions and safety guidance before the ride.
Dadi said police had questioned several witnesses but did not specify whether authorities were investigating possible negligence in the incident.
The fatal jet ski accident occurred 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 at around 9pm, about 30 minutes after departing from Kalong Island. Without a functioning engine, the boat was unable to manoeuvre as waves measuring between two and three metres struck the vessel.
The boat capsized after being hit by two large waves. The victims were identified as Fernando Martín, a coach with Spanish football club Valencia CF Femenino B, and three of his children.
Rescuers have recovered the bodies of Martín and his 12-year-old daughter, while search efforts continue to locate the two boys who remain missing.
Indonesia continues to face challenges in ensuring tourism safety, with critics pointing to weak enforcement of safety standards and the need for stricter 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, a major tourist destination.
In June, a Brazilian tourist died after falling into a ravine on Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. The incident drew international attention after reports highlighted a lack of safety equipment on the mountain and what many described as slow and inadequate evacuation efforts by Indonesian authorities.
A lawmaker has called for a sweeping overhaul of Indonesia’s tourism safety and security standards, saying a series of fatal incidents involving both domestic and foreign tourists has exposed serious weaknesses in oversight and enforcement.
Evita Nursanty, deputy chair of House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing tourism and industry, said safety and security must be treated as the foundation of tourism development, on par with 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 something normal,” Evita said in a statement on Monday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
According to Evita, protecting tourists, tourism workers and local communities should carry equal weight with government efforts to boost visitor numbers, length of stay and tourist 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 said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
