September 9, 2026 | 12:21 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Banten Regional Police and National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) are still searching for the group of journalists reported missing while traveling to the Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) area, in the waters of the Sunda Strait, Pandeglang Regency, Banten.
The Head of the Public Relations Division at the Banten Regional Police, Grand Commissioner Maruli Ahiles Hutapea, said the group lost contact on Monday, September 7, 2026. "The group of journalists departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita, on Monday afternoon to cover the activities of Mount Anak Krakatau," Maruli said Tuesday night, September 8, 2026.
Maruli explained that on Monday around 14:00 WIB (Western Indonesia Time), this group went out on the water in a motor speedboat. The captain was 55 years old and named Warta. The crew member was 60 years old and named Surakman. The guide was 49 years old and named Heriyanto.
The five departing journalists are M. Bagus Khoirunnas from Antara News Agency, Ari Basuki from Merdeka.com, Yudhis from Inews, Daus from Anadolu Agency, and Donal, a freelancer. They departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita.
"The last communication was known to have occurred around 14:42 WIB, when one of the group members sent their last location to their colleague. Around 15:04 WIB, communication with the group of journalists could no longer be established," said Maruli.
The group’s last known location is in the waters of the Sunda Strait in the Pandeglang Regency, approximately 9.98 nautical miles (nm) from RIB 02 BTN. The estimated travel time is about 40 minutes.
Basarnas received a report from Bayu, a journalist from Antara, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 13:55 WIB. Bayu reported the missing contact to his colleagues.
At 14:15 WIB, the Pandeglang SAR Alert Unit gathered information at the speedboat's departure point and deployed a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) for the search.
The Head of Basarnas Banten, Al Amrad, stated that he and the police had searched for the location where the group was suspected to have communicated for the last time. On Tuesday afternoon, Basarnas deployed the Tetuka Ship to join the search mission at around 17:25 WIB.
The joint team moved with 54 personnel, including SAR members, police, military personnel, fishermen, and residents. As of 18:15 WIB, the search around Rakata Island and Panjang Island, within a 3.2-kilometer radius of Mount Anak Krakatau, had not yielded any signs of the group.
Today, Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the Basarnas Ship KN. The Tetuka is planning to sail back to the location where contact was lost.
The Head of the Public Relations Division of Banten Regional Police, Grand Commissioner Maruli, described the weather conditions around the search area as partly cloudy, with south-to-north winds blowing at about 16.7 knots. Wave heights range from 0.4 to 1 meter. Meanwhile, volcanic ash has spread, reducing visibility to about one mile.
"Together with Basarnas, we will continue to make maximum search efforts and provide information updates based on the results in the field," said Maruli.
Read: Police, Basarnas Intensify Search for Journalists Missing Near Anak Krakatau
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