Eight People, Including Journalists, Missing After Speedboat Loses Contact Near Anak Krakatau

A speedboat carrying five journalists has lost contact in the Sunda Strait while travelling to cover Anak Krakatau, prompting a joint search operation in waters off Pandeglang, Banten.

Eight people were aboard: captain Warta, 55; crew member Surakman, 60; guide Heriyanto, 49; and five journalists. The journalists were M Bagus Khoirunnas, Ari Basuki, Yudhis, Daus, and Donal. The group included staff photographers from several media organisations and a freelance journalist.

The search team swept areas around the Sunda Strait, including Sebesi Island, Panjang Island, and Rakata Island, after initial efforts produced no result. The Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency said the last communication was recorded at 2:42 p.m. local time, when one of the journalists shared the boat’s location with a colleague in Lampung. The location was between Carita and Anak Krakatau. The boat was declared completely out of contact at 6:13 p.m.

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The safety of fellow journalists in the field is the highest priority and cannot be compromised.

The Indonesian Photojournalists Association, known as PFI, said it was coordinating with authorities to speed up the search and evacuation. PFI identified the journalists as Bagus of Antara, Ari Basuki of Merdeka.com, Yudistiro of iNews.id, Firman of Anadolu Agency, and Donal, a freelancer.

“Journalists’ safety in the field is the highest priority and cannot be compromised,” PFI national chairman Dwi Pambudo said. He praised the search agency and Banten police’s marine unit for operating in difficult conditions involving volcanic ash and high waves, and expressed hope that all the journalists would be found safe.

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We appreciate the swift action by Basarnas and the Banten Police Marine and Air Unit, which entered difficult conditions amid volcanic ash and high waves.