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British orangutan researcher identified as Richard David Michael, 24, died on his way to Advent Hospital on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Medan, North Sumatra, on Monday afternoon after complaining of
chest pains.

His body, which was still at the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon, will be flown to his home country.

Medan Baru Police chief Comr. Nasrun Pasaribu said that his office had gathered testimonies from a number of witnesses to investigate the death of the Briton.

Quoting some witnesses, Nasrun said that Michael had met with friends at a hotel in Medan on Monday after conducting research at Bukit Lawang in Langkat regency, North Sumatra, on Sunday.

'€œAfter the gathering, Richard complained of chest pains, so his friends took him to the hospital. He died on the way to the hospital,'€ Nasrun told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Nasrun said that although an investigation into the Briton'€™s death was still ongoing, there was strong indication that Michael died of a heart attack as the police could not find any other reason to suspect otherwise.

'€œHowever, we will wait for the final word from the hospital,'€ he said.

Nasrun also said that the police had coordinated with British authorities in Jakarta to return Michael'€™s body to London.

Michael, who worked for the Orangutan Health Project in Bukit Lawang, had reportedly been conducting research in Bukit Lawang for four months.

Sapto of the Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL) Center said there were many foreign orangutan researchers in Bukit Lawang.

According to Sapto, many of them did not have licenses to conduct research there. However, he said that it was difficult for his office to monitor them because they often came as tourists.

'€œThey come as tourists but silently conduct research activities on the orangutans here. This is the problem,'€ said Sapto, adding that Michael was one of them.

Sapto also said that as the authority of the Bukit Lawang region, the TNGL Center had not issued research licenses to foreign tourists.