Tributes to young Aussie ecologist killed in fall from Bali cliff
Tributes are flowing for a young Queensland woman who died after falling about 80 metres from a cliff on a popular island near Bali.
Ecologist Brianna Cronin appeared to be stranded on the rocky cliff at Kelingking Beach about 8am (10am AEST) on Saturday, when tourists alerted nearby lifeguards to her.
Ecologist Brianna Cronin died after falling in Bali. Supplied
Cronin loved being in nature and was on the trip of a lifetime to the Indonesian Island.
The Bali Times reported that she had fallen from the cliff to the beach below while help was being arranged, turning the rescue mission into a recovery operation.
“When the victim fell to the beach, she was found already deceased,” police said in a statement to the newspaper.
It said she had suffered multiple fractures, cuts and other injuries caused by the rocks along the cliff.
Her body was taken to a local health clinic.
Cronin has been described as a “beautiful soul”.
One family member said online: “Our hearts are broken. She was our beautiful Brianna. To lose her in such tragic circumstances is traumatic and we will bring her home to family.”
Queensland woman Brianna Cronin has died after falling around 80 metres from a cliff on a popular island near Bali. Supplied
Brianna Cronin loved being in nature and was on the trip of a lifetime to the Indonesian Island. Supplied
A former colleague at the Queensland Herbarium in Brisbane said she was a “vibrant, positive and super clever colleague who was highly dedicated to her work.”
“She was caring, kind courageous. She was excited to travel and explore the world,” Teghan Collingwood said.
Cronin was travelling alone and staying in a hostel.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli paid tribute to her on Saturday.
“A young woman on the trip of a lifetime active enjoying herself and to have a life taken away in a heartbeat like that, it’s just incredibly, incredibly sad,” he said.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the woman’s family.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said.
Footage posted on the Bali search and rescue social media page, Basarnas Bali, showed rescue workers and good Samaritans bringing the woman’s body back up the steep path.
Rescue workers and good Samaritans worked together for the 90-minute trek to bringing the woman’s body back up the steep path after a sea evacuation was deemed too dangerous. 9News
It was deemed too dangerous to evacuate her by sea due to high tidal waves.
Kelingking Beach is a popular tourist destination on the coast of Nusa Penida, about 20 kilometres south-east of Bali.
It attracts crowds due to its dramatic cliffs that are shaped like a T-Rex dinosaur.
Late last year, the local government halted the construction of a controversial 182-metre glass elevator that would have had viewing platforms and supports embedded deep in the cliff-face, according to the Bali Sun.
Construction was already well under way before the local government stepped in, saying the correct permits had not been attained.
The appeal of the elevator was to potentially boost tourism by preventing people having to climb down the steep steps to the beach, but it faced significant backlash due to its impact on the natural environment.
Kelingking beach at Nusa Penida Amilia Rosa
The project’s Chinese investor and the local government remain tied up in court over the unfinished construction, the Indonesia Expat reports.
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