An Adelaide man has tragically drowned while honeymooning in Bali after being swept out to sea by a powerful current.
Jacob Vennix, 32, was swimming with his wife, Kimberley Ann Fuller, 38, at Pasut Beach, about 30 kilometers west of Denpasar, when disaster struck on Monday afternoon. The South Australian newlywed was caught in a strong current, leaving Ms. Fuller to desperately seek help from onlookers.
Witnesses reported seeing Ms. Fuller, now widowed, attempting to save her husband by entering the water with a chair as others remained onshore. Local residents Ketut Arsanayasa and Made Suartika attempted a rescue using a boat, but the effort was thwarted when a wave overturned the vessel, forcing Vennix to lose his grip.
According to Tabanan police chief Chandra Citta Kesuma, “[The rescuers] maneuvered the boat closer to the victim, allowing him to grab hold of it. However, shortly after, the victim was engulfed by a wave, and the boat capsized.”
Vennix was eventually brought to shore unconscious. Despite frantic attempts by Ms. Fuller and locals to perform CPR, he was later pronounced dead at Tabanan General Hospital Reports Sky News Australia.
The swimming conditions at Pasut Beach are notoriously hazardous, Bali’s Disaster Management Agency head, Sri Nadha Giri, confirmed. “The currents at Pasut Beach are strong, making it dangerous. We urge both locals and tourists to exercise caution,” he said, noting the added risks during the monsoon season.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong expressed her condolences, saying, “I am heartbroken for Mr. Vennix’s wife and loved ones, and offer my deepest sympathies. I know all Australians will be thinking of them.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Vennix’s family as they navigate the devastating loss.
Vennix’s passing comes just nine days after he and Ms. Fuller celebrated their wedding on December 21 at the Hard Days Night function center in Adelaide. Ms. Fuller described the occasion as a “beautiful day marrying a beautiful man” in a heartfelt Facebook post.
Vennix leaves behind his wife, their one-year-old son Cole—who has bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia and is visually impaired—and his four-year-old stepson Isaac.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of Bali’s beaches, particularly during unpredictable weather conditions.