BADUNG, Bali — A 40-year-old Russian man who had been reported missing in southern Bali was found dead below a cliff in Pecatu on Saturday, September 26, bringing a search and rescue operation to a tragic end.

The man, identified as G. Artem, was found among rocks below a cliff near Tanjung Mebulu after search teams were deployed to the area earlier that day.

Artem had reportedly been out of contact since Wednesday, September 23. The Denpasar Search and Rescue Office received a report about his disappearance on Saturday morning.

A motorcycle and helmet had earlier been found unattended near Tanjung Mebulu, where authorities focused their search.

At around 10 a.m., search and rescue personnel coordinated with the Denpasar Police water police unit and later met with a local official in Pecatu to gather information about the terrain around the area.

At 11:45 a.m., rescuers used a thermal drone to search along the cliff edge.

“The search effort was carried out through aerial monitoring using a thermal drone at 11:45 a.m. around the edge of the cliff,” said Wahyu Sidhiarta, field coordinator with the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office.

The initial aerial search found no sign of Artem. About five minutes later, however, the team received information from residents who had noticed a strong odor in the area.

Residents then found a body among rocks below the cliff and used a drone to get a closer view of the location.

“After checking the area, residents found the body below the cliff, among the rocks,” Wahyu said.

At around 1:10 p.m., the joint search and rescue team headed toward the location through the Nyang Nyang Beach area.

Artem’s body was recovered and brought to the shoreline at around 3 p.m.

Wahyu said the recovery operation was complicated by high tide and the steep, rocky terrain.

“The first obstacle was the high tide, so we had to wait for the water to recede. The second was the steep and rocky access,” he said.

The body was later transported by ambulance to Prof. Ngoerah General Hospital for further examination.

Authorities have not announced the cause of death or explained how Artem came to be below the cliff.