After 11 days of uncertainty, the Banten Regional Police have finally\nannounced a DNA match between the body found on Enggano Island and\nSurakman\u2014one of the crew members who was part of the group of\njournalists travelling to Mount Anak Krakatau.<\/p>\n
For the families of the journalists and the two other crew members,\nthis discovery provides a new glimmer of hope that those still missing\nmight soon be found. \u201cI and my family always hope that my husband will\nreturn and be found, regardless of the circumstances,\u201d said Evi, the\nwife of Heriyanto (also known as Bonsai), one of the crew members\ninvolved in the journalist group, to detikX last week.<\/p>\n
Evi hopes that the discovery of Surakman\u2019s body on an island\napproximately 350 kilometres from the suspected location where five\njournalists and three crew members went missing could mark a new\nbeginning for the search for the remaining seven people. Although\nBasarnas officially concluded the search process on Thursday, 17\nSeptember 2026, Evi has requested that the search be restarted following\nSurakman\u2019s discovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am pleading and asking for the search to continue and be conducted\nin the areas of Enggano Island and Lampung,\u201d she said with visible\ndistress.<\/p>\n
Similar sentiments were expressed by Mansur, the father of Antara\nphotographer Muhammad Bagus Khoirunnas. As an only child, Bagus is still\ndearly awaited by Mansur, as well as by his wife and children at home.\nHe hopes that, whatever happens, Bagus can be found soon. Consequently,\nMansur is appealing to Basarnas to reopen the search process for those\nmissing.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince there is now a lead, we hope the search operation will be\ncontinued,\u201d Mansur stated.<\/p>\n
The families of the missing journalists held a funeral prayer (salat\ngaib). The same hope is shared by the families of other victims,\nincluding the families of Arie Basuki, Yudistiro Pranoto, Firman Daus,\nDonal, and Warta. All are hoping that the search process will be resumed\nso that, at the very least, those missing can be found, regardless of\ntheir condition.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, although hope has brightened, there have been no signs\nfrom Basarnas or the police regarding the reopening of an intensive\nsearch. The Head of Basarnas Banten, Al Amrad, stated that his agency\nhad exerted its best efforts during the 10-day search from 8\u201312\nSeptember.<\/p>\n
During that period, 18 vessels or primary SAR equipment were deployed\nto search almost every corner of the Sunda Strait waters. The search was\ndivided into four sectors, extending towards Tanjung Belimbing. Several\nislands near Mount Anak Krakatau were also surveyed, including Krakatau\nBesar, Pulau Panjang, Pulau Sertung, and Pulau Sebesi.<\/p>\n
In this search process, Basarnas also collaborated with elements of\nthe Navy, Marine Police, port authorities, and the local community.\nTeams from SAR Banten and SAR Lampung were deployed to sweep the waters\nof Lampung and Banten.<\/p>\n
While continuing the maritime search, helicopters were also deployed\nto survey the eastern to western sides of Mount Anak Krakatau. However,\ndespite an additional three-day search period granted at the request of\nthe victims\u2019 families, Basarnas found almost no clues regarding the\nwhereabouts of the missing.<\/p>\n
Findings of jerry cans and life jackets at various points in the\nwaters during the search were not identical to the items on the\nArupadhatu 1 vessel, which carried the five journalists and three crew\nmembers. The search ultimately ended without success on 18 September\n2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs of now, Bengkulu is still coordinating, but there have been no\nresults, including in the Lebak region,\u201d he said on Wednesday, 24\nSeptember.<\/p>\n
Staff of the Bengkulu SAR Office, Mega Maysilva, stated that after\nthe discovery of the body on Enggano Island on 12 September 2026, the\nBengkulu SAR team deployed rigid inflatable boats (RIB), rigid buoyant\nboats (RBB), and rubber boats to traverse several points in the Bengkulu\nwaters. However, by the time the search deadline expired, Bengkulu SAR\nhad found no signs regarding the whereabouts of the other seven\nvictims.<\/p>\n
Currently, after the DNA of the body was confirmed to be Surakman\u2019s,\nBengkulu SAR has returned to Enggano Island to conduct monitoring and\nmapping. Information has been disseminated to fishermen and local\nresidents, including the TNI (Military) and Polri (Police), to\nimmediately notify Bengkulu SAR if any objects suspected to belong to\nthe Arupadhatu 1 vessel are seen or found.<\/p>\n
Mega noted that this monitoring process is ongoing without a fixed\ntimeframe. She stated that whenever there is a report regarding the\ndiscovery of debris or objects, or the discovery of another body, the\nSAR team will follow up with the necessary actions.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hope-remains-after-surakman-is-found-1790690249", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }