French, South Korean tourists killed by falling tree in Bali

By Hoang Vu December 11, 2024 | 11:43 pm PT

Officers secure the area where a fallen tree claimed the lives of two foreign tourists in Ubud Province, Bali. Photo courtesy of the police

Two female tourists, one from France and the other from South Korea, were killed on Tuesday when a large tree fell in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary on the Indonesian island of Bali.

The incident occurred due to a "sudden and strong gust of wind," according to the management of the popular tourist attraction, as reported by The Jakarta Globe.

Another South Korean tourist sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A video that captured the moment when the massive tree toppled onto the walkway has gone viral online, showing tourists fleeing in panic as the tree came crashing down, followed by scenes of chaos after it struck the ground.

The sanctuary, located in Ubud Province, is a nature reserve and temple complex revered by the local Balinese community. The sanctuary is home to more than 1,260 macaques and attracts visitors from around the world.

In response to the tragedy, the sanctuary announced its temporary closure on Dec. 11 and 12.

In an earlier Instagram post, the management stated that the fallen tree was "in healthy condition" and attributed the incident to "strong winds and extreme weather conditions beyond human control."

In October, Bali was named Asia’s most beautiful island by readers of Condé Nast Traveler in its Readers' Choice Awards.

In the first seven months of 2024, Bali recorded 3.89 million arrivals, a significant increase from 2.9 million during the same period the previous year.