Polish Tourist Found Dead After Being Swept Away by Rip Current at Tembles Beach, Bali
The body of a 44-year-old Polish tourist who went missing at Tembles Beach in Jembrana, Bali, was found after a three-day search, roughly 7.5 km away at Yeh Kuning Beach. The search began after his motorbike and belongings were found abandoned on the shore, indicating he had been swept away by a rip current.
Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Bali confirmed the recovery of the body of a Polish national, identified as Marcin Dawid (44), who had gone missing at Tembles Beach in Jembrana Regency, Bali. Local residents found the body, rigid, at Yeh Kuning Beach around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2 — approximately 7.5 kilometers west of the original incident site.
The man had arrived at Tembles Beach around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 30. Suspicion of a rip current incident arose after his motorbike and personal belongings were found abandoned on the shore. Basarnas Bali received the report on Monday, August 31 at 5:55 a.m.; initial reports mistakenly identified him as British, but his Polish nationality was confirmed on the second day of the search based on an ID card found by rescuers.
The three-day joint search combined sea, land, and aerial operations, including rubber boats sweeping the coastline westward and thermal drones. Agencies involved included Jembrana Police, Mendoyo Police Sector, the Indonesian Navy post in Pengambengan, Bali Police's mobile brigade, the Indonesian Red Cross Jembrana branch, local rescue group Arjuna Rescue, and local residents. The body was transported by ambulance to Negara General Hospital for further handling.
Things to Consider
Beaches in Bali, including those along the Jembrana coast, are prone to strong rip currents even in areas without explicit no-swimming signs. Choose beaches with lifeguards on duty and always check flag colors and warning signs before entering the water. Avoid swimming alone or after dusk. If caught in a rip current, do not swim directly against it toward shore — swim parallel to the shoreline to escape the current first. If leaving belongings on the beach for an extended time, inform someone nearby to help ensure a faster response in case of an emergency.
Source: ANTARA News Bali