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 Padar Island within the 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 Kompas.com, an Indonesian news site, on June 19.

Ms Qiu had been travelling with 10 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.

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.

Said Mr Hery: “Foam and blood were coming from her mouth and nose.”

Ms Qiu was transported to the Komodo Health Centre, but despite efforts by