The body of Qiu Yan, a 32-year-old tourist from China who tragically lost her life while snorkeling at Long Pink Beach in Komodo National Park, Manggarai Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, was repatriated to her home country earlier today. Her parents and fiancé arrived in Labuan Bajo two days prior to escort her remains. Qiu Yan’s body had been kept in the cooling room of the Komodo Regional Hospital in Labuan Bajo since the incident on June 18, 2025.
“The body and family departed at 1:30 PM WITA on Batik Air,” stated Budi Widjaja, the Chairman of the Labuan Bajo Branch of the Indonesian Marine and Water Tourism Entrepreneurs Association (Gahawisri), on Tuesday, June 23, 2025.
Budi accompanied the victim’s family throughout their time in Labuan Bajo, including escorting the body to Komodo International Airport. He also facilitated communication between the family, relevant parties, and the Chinese Embassy. Qiu Yan was reported to have drowned while snorkeling without a life jacket in the waters of Long Pink Beach, known for its stunning pink sand.
The incident has drawn significant attention due to allegations that the tour guide violated standard operating procedures by allowing tourists to snorkel without proper flotation devices. Following the tragedy, Qiu Yan’s body was evacuated and laid to rest at the Komodo Regional Hospital.
“The hardest part was supporting the family who lost their only child, who was supposed to marry in September,” Budi shared. Qiu Yan was an only child, and her parents had high hopes for her to support them in their later years.
The victim’s family expressed their disappointment over the inadequate safety standards in the Labuan Bajo tourism area. They highlighted the lack of risk assessments, absence of lifeguards, first aid facilities, and evacuation vehicles at tourist sites. “There should be designated tourist areas and regulations regarding permissible water sports. The absence of lifeguards, first aid facilities, or evacuation vehicles is concerning,” Budi remarked.
He noted that currently, an evacuation team takes about an hour to reach the incident site from Labuan Bajo. “To this day, the focus has only been on evacuating victims, while many could potentially be saved during the critical ‘golden hour,'” he added.
Despite their grief, the family chose to accept Qiu Yan’s death and pursue a peaceful resolution. A settlement was reached at the Manggarai Barat Police Station without any legal action against the tour operators involved. “The goal was for all parties involved and the family to reach a familial agreement and accountability from the travel agency, tour guide, and boat operators,” explained Budi.
The costs of repatriating the body were shared among the travel agency, tour guide, boat operators, and other parties who assisted. In addition to safety standards, Qiu Yan’s family criticized the lack of regulations mandating tourists to wear life jackets while snorkeling. They also pointed out the absence of legal frameworks for tour guide SOPs and insurance for tourists.
“There is regret over the low safety standards in Indonesia and the lack of legal foundations to protect tourists,” Budi stated. The victim’s family believes that the negligence of tourism operators regarding tourist safety exacerbates the situation. They lamented the lack of oversight and enforcement of regulations at tourist sites. “What the victim’s parents and even tourism operators are complaining about is the insufficient concern and effort to improve safety standards in Indonesian tourism. Instead, there is a tendency to shift blame,” Budi concluded.
