Five journalists among eight missing after boat trip to cover Indonesia volcano

Five journalists sent to document Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption are among eight people missing after a speedboat trip from an area near Jakarta ended without contact from the crew.

The group left on Monday afternoon to capture photos and video of the volcano, whose eruption since Saturday has paralysed several airports and covered Jakarta and nearby cities in volcanic ash. The journalists worked for local and international outlets, including Indonesia’s Antara, Turkey’s Anadolu and the local website iNews.

One journalist contacted a colleague at 3 p.m. on Monday and shared his location, but no one has heard from him since. The national rescue agency said the boat owner had also received no information from the crew. Local rescue teams, police and the company that owns the speedboat joined the search.

Local search and rescue chief Al Amrad said the vessel carried five journalists, two crew members and a guide. The search was halted for the day and scheduled to resume on Wednesday morning. Antara confirmed that photographer Muhammad Bagus Khoirunas was among those on board and said police had warned that high waves and poor visibility were obstructing the operation.

Marine accidents occur regularly in Indonesia, an archipelago where the source says lax safety standards and difficult weather contribute to the risks. In January, three Spanish tourists died after a boat sank in eastern Indonesia, while a 10-year-old boy was listed as missing and presumed dead after authorities ended the search.

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Until now they have not returned, and the boat owner has not received any information from the crew.