Tangerang (ANTARA) - The Banten Regional Police (Polda Banten) have\nrevealed that the DNA matching process between antemortem samples and\nthe body found on Enggano Island, Bengkula, faced several obstacles. The\ndeceased has been identified as Surakman (60), a crew member of KM\nArupadatu I.<\/p>\n
Banten Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Hengki, explained\nthat the identification process took time because the physical condition\nof the body had deteriorated due to being submerged in water for an\nextended period. \u201cThe DNA examination faced many hurdles. For example,\nfacial features were no longer recognisable because of the time spent at\nthe bottom of the sea,\u201d Hengki stated during an online press conference\nin Tangerang on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He explained that the body was first discovered by local residents on\nEnggano Island on 12 September 2026, approximately five days after the\nsearch operation for a group of journalists who lost contact in the\nSunda Strait waters, Pandeglang, Banten, began on Monday (7\/9).<\/p>\n
The discovery was immediately coordinated with the Bengkulu Regional\nPolice, and identification was carried out at Bhayangkara Hospital for\nfurther handling. Because the physical condition made visual recognition\ndifficult, the police medical team (Dokkes) relied on DNA testing\nmethods, comparing samples with those provided by the family.<\/p>\n
According to the results from the DNA Laboratory Division of the\nIndonesian National Police (Dokkes Polri) on 21 September 2026, the DNA\nsamples from the body were declared identical to the crew member of KM\nArupadatu I and matched as the biological father of the victim\u2019s\nson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe took samples from the victim\u2019s family\u2019s antemortem records and\nmatched them with the found body. The DNA examination results declared\nit identical to Mr Surakman and the biological father of Mr Niyayat,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In addition to the accurate DNA results, the family also recognised\ncertain clothing attributes, specifically black shorts, which the victim\nwas last seen wearing when departing to transport the group of\njournalists towards Mount Anak Krakatau for reporting purposes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police have been coordinating intensively with the victim\u2019s\nfamily. The victim\u2019s son was brought directly by the District Police\nChief to accompany the process of handing over the body,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The Banten Regional Police Chief emphasised that the integrated team\nremains on standby to continue the search and handling of other victims\nwho have not yet been found. \u201cPolda Banten expresses its appreciation to\nthe community and fishermen who helped provide information regarding the\ndiscovery of the body,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Previously, the Joint SAR team had conducted search operations for up\nto 10 days without positive results. There were eight people being\nsearched for in the operation, consisting of five journalists\u2014M Bagus\nKhoirunas (ANTARA News), Ari Basuki (Merdeka.com), Yudhistiro (iNews),\nFirdaus (Anadolu), and Donal (freelance journalist)\u2014and three others:\nWarta (ship captain), Surakman (crew member), and Heriyanto (guide).\nThey were reported missing after losing contact on Monday (7\/9) at 14:00\nWIB.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/identification-process-for-km-arupadatu-crew-member-faced-difficulties-1790158516", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }