Timeline: Five Journalists Missing Near Mount Anak Krakatau
Search Continues for Five Journalists Missing in Sunda Strait Near Anak Krakatau
Kabarsaji.com – A joint search operation is continuing in the Sunda Strait after five journalists and three other people lost contact while traveling toward the Mount Anak Krakatau area in Pandeglang Regency, Banten.
Police, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), military personnel, local fishermen, and residents have been deployed to locate the group, whose last known position was recorded on Monday afternoon, September 7, 2026. The search has been complicated by reduced visibility from volcanic ash, shifting winds, and sea conditions around the island.
Group departed from Carita on Monday afternoon
The group left Pagedongan Pier in Carita at about 14:00 WIB aboard a motor speedboat. Their trip was intended to cover activity around Mount Anak Krakatau, the active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait.
On board were boat captain Warta, 55; crew member Surakman, 60; and guide Heriyanto, 49. The five journalists were M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Antara News Agency, Ari Basuki of Merdeka.com, Yudhis of Inews, Daus of Anadolu Agency, and Donal, a freelance journalist.
Grand Commissioner Maruli Ahiles Hutapea, head of public relations for the Banten Regional Police, said contact with the party was lost shortly after the journey began.
"The group of journalists departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita, on Monday afternoon to cover the activities of Mount Anak Krakatau," Maruli said on Tuesday night, September 8, 2026.
The last message from the group was sent at approximately 14:42 WIB, when one member shared a location with a colleague. Attempts to reach them were unsuccessful from around 15:04 WIB onward.
Last position recorded nearly 10 nautical miles from rescue vessel
The final known location was in the Sunda Strait waters within Pandeglang Regency, about 9.98 nautical miles from RIB 02 BTN. Under normal estimates, reaching that point would take roughly 40 minutes by boat.
A missing-contact report was received by Basarnas on Tuesday, September 8, at 13:55 WIB. Bayu, a journalist from Antara, alerted rescuers after communication with his colleagues could not be restored.
Twenty minutes later, at 14:15 WIB, the Pandeglang SAR Alert Unit began gathering information at the pier where the speedboat had departed. A rigid inflatable boat, or RIB, was then dispatched as part of the initial response.
The search later expanded when Basarnas deployed the KN Tetuka vessel at around 17:25 WIB on Tuesday. Search teams examined waters near Rakata Island and Panjang Island, focusing on an area within a 3.2-kilometer radius of Mount Anak Krakatau.
As of 18:15 WIB on Tuesday, no trace of the speedboat or its passengers had been found.
Volcanic ash and limited visibility affect operation
The KN Tetuka was scheduled to return to the point where contact was lost on Wednesday, September 9. A total of 54 people have been involved in the joint mission, including SAR personnel, police officers, military members, fishermen, and residents familiar with the surrounding waters.
Search conditions remain challenging. Maruli said skies in the area were partly cloudy, while winds were moving from south to north at roughly 16.7 knots. Waves were measured at between 0.4 and 1 meter.
Volcanic ash around Anak Krakatau has also lowered visibility to about one mile, making visual searches on the water more difficult. Such conditions can affect how far rescuers can see from boats and may require search teams to repeatedly sweep the same sectors as weather and light change.
"Together with Basarnas, we will continue to make maximum search efforts and provide information updates based on the results in the field," Maruli said.
An active volcanic setting
Mount Anak Krakatau sits in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra and is known for ongoing volcanic activity. Its location makes the surrounding waters an important route for fishing, transport, tourism, and official monitoring, while also exposing vessels to weather changes and volcanic hazards.
For the families, colleagues, and news organizations connected to the missing journalists, the operation remains focused on establishing the group’s route after the final location message and searching the waters where contact ended. Authorities have not announced any confirmed sighting of the speedboat or the eight people aboard.
Rescuers are continuing to coordinate at sea as they work through the search area near Anak Krakatau, with updates expected to depend on field findings and the conditions around the volcano.
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