No Sign of Missing Journalists as Sunda Strait Search Enters Day Two

1 hour ago 1

September 9, 2026 | 06:13 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A joint search team has yet to find any sign of eight people aboard a speedboat that lost contact in the Sunda Strait off Pandeglang, Banten, as the search entered its second day on Wednesday, September 9. The group included five journalists covering the eruption of Anak Krakatau.

The team, comprising personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Banten and the military and police, expanded the search area and deployed additional vessels and equipment.

Banten Search and Rescue Office chief Al Amrad said the operation was being conducted across multiple sectors to maximize the chances of locating the missing group.

"On the second day, we expanded the search area by dividing the team into several Search and Rescue Units across different sectors. We are optimizing all available resources to find the eight people still missing," Al Amrad said in Pandeglang on Wednesday.

SAR Teams Expand Search Across Sunda Strait

The KN SAR Tetuka 247 searched Sector 2, covering 68.3 nautical miles, while the KAL Anyer covered the same sector over 69.5 nautical miles.

RIB 02 and RIB 03 from Lampung searched Sector 1, covering 67 nautical miles, with teams conducting visual searches around Sebesi and Sebuku islands and the Krakatau area.

RIB 02 Banten searched along Rakata and Panjang islands, while KP Sanjaya covered Sector 4 for 67.3 nautical miles. Indonesian Navy warships KRI Leuser and KRI Lepu also conducted searches in designated sectors.

Search personnel conducted visual monitoring around Anak Krakatau and Rakata Besar, but had found no indication of the missing group as of 5:07 p.m. local time Wednesday.

"During the search, Mount Anak Krakatau was observed releasing a fairly thick plume of volcanic ash," Al Amrad said.

The eight people missing are identified as Warta, 55, the boat captain; Surakman, 60, a crew member; and Heriyanto, 49, a guide.

The five journalists are M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Antara, Ari Basuki of Merdeka, Yudhis of iNews, Daus of Anadolu, and freelance journalist Donal.

The second-day operation involved search and rescue personnel from Banten and Lampung, USS Pandeglang, USS Merak, the military and police, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Port Authority and Maritime Affairs Office (KSOP), local search and rescue groups, media representatives, the victims' families, fishermen and residents.

The search effort deployed KN SAR Tetuka 247, KAL Anyer, KP Sanjaya, KRI Lepu, KRI Leuser, RIB 02 Banten, RIB 02 and RIB 03 Lampung, as well as a thermal drone and water rescue, medical and communications equipment.

Weather conditions in the search area were partly cloudy, with winds blowing from south to north at around 14 knots and waves measuring between 0.4 and 1 meter, Al Amrad said.

SAR Search Expands for 8 Missing on Anak Krakatau Reporting Trip

4 jam lalu

SAR Search Expands for 8 Missing on Anak Krakatau Reporting Trip

Search teams have expanded operations for eight people missing in the Sunda Strait after traveling to cover Anak Krakatau's eruption.

DPR Calls for All-Out Search for Journalist Missing at Mount Anak Krakatau

4 jam lalu

DPR Calls for All-Out Search for Journalist Missing at Mount Anak Krakatau

Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad expressed concern about the five missing journalists who were reporting near Mount Anak Krakatau.

Timeline: Five Journalists Missing Near Mount Anak Krakatau

6 jam lalu

Timeline: Five Journalists Missing Near Mount Anak Krakatau

Police and search teams continue efforts to find journalists who lost contact while traveling to the Anak Krakatau area in Banten's Sunda Strait.

Nepal-China Flood Death Toll Rises to 1,280; Over 5,200 Still Missing

5 hari lalu

Nepal-China Flood Death Toll Rises to 1,280; Over 5,200 Still Missing

Nepal-China floods have killed 1,280 people and left more than 5,200 missing as search and rescue operations enter their second week.

Indonesia Coordinates With S. Korea Over Missing Tour Group Member

47 hari lalu

Indonesia Coordinates With S. Korea Over Missing Tour Group Member

Indonesia is working with South Korean authorities after an Indonesian tourist allegedly left a tour group and is suspected of overstaying.

KontraS: Questions Remain After Discovery of Two Human Skeletons Belonging to Missing Protesters

9 November 2025

KontraS: Questions Remain After Discovery of Two Human Skeletons Belonging to Missing Protesters

KontraS, the organization assisting in the search for Farhan and Reno, still has a number of questions, even though the police have confirmed the DNA of the skeletons.

Four People Remain Missing as Bali Flood Search Period Concludes

18 September 2025