Bali Authorities Bring Confused Elderly Tourist Into Hospital After Finding Him Wandering The Streets

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Officers from Badung Police Department responded to calls concerning an elderly foreign gentleman wandering around Jalan Tegal Gundul and Jalan Pantai Berawa in Tibubeneng Village in Canggu on Monday evening, 3rd October. The man was not carrying an ID and was brought to the attention of the authorities by passersby, who were concerned for his welfare. 

The Head of Badung Satpol PP, I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, told reporters that the gentleman had been seen wandering around Banjar Tegal Gundul with no clear direction or purpose. He had been starting seemingly innocent conversations with passersby and even tried cracking some jokes. Concerned for his safety and mental condition, Bali police bought him to Prof Ngoerah General Hospital. 

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Suryanegara explained ‘After receiving the report, the team immediately went down to the location Monday afternoon at 17.00 WITA. When arrested without a fight. However, during the evacuation process, he kept talking to himself’. The elderly gentleman is caucasian, bald, and quite tall. He was not wearing a shirt but a beige safari-style waistcoat and long beige shorts. In the photos shared by the press, he doesn’t appear to be wearing shoes. 

Saptol PP is now coordinating with the hospital and immigration to establish who Mr. X is, where his next of kin are and whether he needs to be repatriated. Though authorities have not ruled out that he is a retiree resident in Bali, he is believed to be a tourist.

Suryanegara said, ‘There is no identity, that’s why we call the foreigner Mr. X. Currently, he is still being handled at Prof Ngoerah Hospital because he is slurred and temperamental. When asked where he came from, he didn’t answer but continued to chatter’.

Mr. X is believed to be experiencing mental illness, possibly some form of dementia. He remains in hospital while authorities work to establish how best to support him moving forward. ‘We are still in intensive care. We continue to coordinate with the medical team there’. Though Saptol PP, Police, and Immigration have not put a call out for information regarding Mr. X, if anyone has any information that can support their work, the public can contact the Kuta Tourist Police.

In other cases of missing persons, the search continued today for an American tourist who has gone missing after a rafting tragedy on the Ayung River in Ubud. Search & Rescue teams recommenced their search of the area on Wednesday, 5th October but have not found any trace of 62-year-old RCN.

RCN went missing on Monday afternoon after his raft capsized. The nine other tourists participating in the rafting experience have all been located safely, as have the two guides. It is believed that the two rafts capsized after an unexpected water surge came downstream due to heavy rains. Due to the unstable terrain around the river and riverine forest area of Kedewatan Village, search and rescue teams can only continue their search operations during daylight hours. 

There have been no further local updates about the search for 68-year-old GS from the UK. GS was last seen snorkeling in Blue Lagoon in Padang Bai in East Bali. He is believed to have been on holiday with his wife when he disappeared on Wednesday, 28th September. 

Despite the days rolling on, hopes remain for the safe return of GS and RCN to their loved ones. 

Bali Search and Rescue teams take their operations incredibly seriously, as do teams across Indonesia. The operations are regularly drilled, especially in light of the events that followed the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and the 2002 Bali Bombing. 

Lifeguards who patrol the coast around Tanah Lot Temple have been conducting search and rescue training operations this week. The training and simulation events come as preparation for the upcoming high tourist season around the Christmas holidays and the increased number of people expected to visit Tanah Lot during the G20 Summit.