Tourist Fatally Electrocuted In Local Bali Beach Restaurant

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A Russian tourist in Bali was fatally electrocuted on Tuesday, 1st November. The man, known by his initials KR, was 31 years old. He died at Warung Suzuke on Balangan Beach in South Bali. Despite extensive efforts to resuscitate him, police confirmed his death shortly after they arrived on the scene.

KR was believed to be electrocuted when he returned to Warung Suzuke to pick up his backpack and other belongings that he was storing there while he was surfing off Balangan Beach. The Head of Public Relations for Denpasar Police, Iptu Keut Sukadi, confirmed the incident to reporters. He said, ‘The victim is known to have died on Tuesday (1/11) at around 16:30 WITA’.

According to Sukadi, a witness, Ni Kadek Novi, explained that she heard screams while cooking in the kitchen of Warung Suzuke. Sukadi told reporters, ‘But when he took his bag, it was suspected that the victim was electrocuted while located in the kitchen. The witness then tried to run out of the kitchen to seek help’. 

Calling the restaurant and shop owners, I Ketut Surata, a group, gathered to help with no success. KR had been out for the day with a fellow Russian tourist, MM. His friend told the police that they had met at Warung Suzuke at around 12.30 pm. At around 1 pm, the duo left for the beach, leaving their bags at the warung for safekeeping. At 2.30 pm, they returned to Warung Suzuke to pick up their bags.

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MM recalled to the police that once they had finished surfing, they headed back to the warung. When they arrived, MM headed to the bathroom to wash the sand off while KR went to the kitchen to fetch their bags. It is believed that as KR bent down to pick up the bags that were tucked behind the chest freezer, he made contact with an exposed electrical element and was electrocuted. 

It is unclear whether KR was wet and the combination of an exposed electrical component and water caused the incident or whether there was a fault with the chest fridge or the electrical circuits within Warung Suzuke.

MM and Ni Kadek Novi heard the screams and came running. Local reports suggest that KR was electrocuted for 2-3 minutes as witnesses tried to disconnect the power so they could safely help him. Sukadi told reporters ‘After being pulled out, the victim was helped to give artificial respiration by another surfing partner, but it didn’t work. About 40 minutes later, the medical personnel came because another witness called, but the victim was not saved’. 

KR has now been taken to Sanglah Hospital, awaiting repatriation. The police have not suggested that any further investigation will be carried out at Warung Suzuke, nor whether any legal action will be taken against the restaurant owners. 

Sadly KR is not the only Russian tourist to have passed away in Bali in recent weeks. In late September, police in Ubud confirmed the death of a Russian man in Mas Village. The man, known only by his initials AB, was 34 years old. Police did not conduct any further investigation into his death, despite some online speculation.

Police Chief Yudistira told reporters at the time, ‘Rusli [guesthouse staff] had time to call the victim, but there was no response and also saw bruises on the back of the head, seeing this the witness contacted the Ubud Police’. He described how AB was discovered ‘he was found in a prone position sitting in a chair, his head was on the table facing downwards, without wearing any clothes.

Since the police were not treating the death as suspicious, no further action was taken on the case.