Police Widen Search for Missing Journalists to Lampung Waters
Lampung Police expand the search for five journalists and three crew members missing after losing contact near Mount Anak Krakatau.
Indonesia's Lampung Police have broadened their search for five journalists and three boat crew members who went missing while traveling from Carita Beach in Pandeglang, Banten, towards Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait. The expanded search area now includes several waters under the jurisdiction of the Lampung Police, according to Senior Commissioner Yuni Iswandari, who made the announcement on Thursday, September 10.
The search effort was intensified in anticipation of the possibility that the missing group might have drifted into Lampung waters due to currents. Police spokesperson Iswandari expressed hope that these additional efforts would yield crucial information about the group's whereabouts, potentially leading to a breakthrough in the search.
The Lampung Police, along with other police units and joint search and rescue teams, pledged to continue supporting the search operation. While authorities remain uncertain about the fate of the missing individuals, they remain hopeful that they may have been found at sea and kept safe.
Two search teams were deployed following the incident in Banten waters. The first team comprised Water Police personnel, National Police headquarters personnel, and members of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). The second team consisted of six Water Police officers and five members of the Lampung Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob). Both teams conducted searches in the Lampung area, but no significant developments have been reported regarding the missing individuals' location.
Plans are in place for a resumption of the search by boat, with an aerial search using a helicopter also being prepared if weather conditions permit. Police spokesperson Iswandari emphasized the urgency of the situation and expressed concern over the incident, hoping that the missing journalists and crew members would be found safe and unharmed.
The group, comprising five journalists and three boat crew members, departed from Pagedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, at around 2 p.m. local time on Monday, September 7. Their last known communication was received at around 2:42 p.m., but contact was lost at approximately 3:04 p.m. SAR teams have been working based on the group's last known location and communication.
The journalists identified are M. Bagus Khoirunnas of ANTARA, Ari Basuki of Merdeka, Yudhis of iNews, Daus of Anadolu, and Donal, a freelance journalist, with three boat crew members also aboard the speedboat.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
