5 Journalists Still Missing, Search Area Expanded
Entering the fourth day, the Joint SAR Team has expanded the search area for a group of five journalists and three ship crew members who lost contact in the waters of the Sunda Strait while attempting to cover Mount Anak Krakatau.
The expansion covers four main sectors and one special sector, totalling an area of approximately 3,243 nautical miles (NM).
The Head of the Banten SAR Office, Al Amrad, stated that the expansion of the search area is based on evaluations of previous operations and monitoring of the current situation on the ground.
“Entering the fourth day, we are expanding the search area by dividing the region into several sectors, including a special sector around the location of interest,” Al Amrad said in a written statement on Friday (11/9).
“We are optimising all available elements and facilities to find the eight individuals still being searched for,” he added.
Among the naval assets deployed on the fourth day are KN SAR Tetuka 247, KN SAR Basudewa, KRI Leuser, KRI Karambit, KRI Lepu, KP Sanjaya, KP Hayabusa, KAL Anyer, KAL Pahawang, RIB 02 Banten, RIB 02 Lampung, RBB Pulau Peucang, and TB Gunung Santri.
Furthermore, Al Amrad added that search capabilities have been strengthened with two thermal drone units, as well as various land-based and supporting facilities.
Meanwhile, he noted that weather conditions on the fourth day around the operational area are expected to be clear to cloudy. Winds are blowing from the southeast to the south at speeds of 10 to 20 knots, while wave heights range between 0.5 and 2.5 metres.
“We continue to consider safety factors in every movement of the team. Weather and wave conditions are being continuously monitored, while the search is conducted in a coordinated and maximal manner across all designated sectors,” said Al Amrad.
The joint SAR operation also involves several parties, including Basarnas, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), the National Police (Polri), BPBD, SAR potential units, local government, healthcare workers, psychologists, Tagana, Baznas, Rumah Zakat, as well as community members and volunteers.
Al Amrad expressed hope that the expansion of the search area on the fourth day could provide a breakthrough for the five journalists and three crew members still missing.
“We hope that the expansion of the area and the addition of search strength can provide a glimmer of hope. The operation is ongoing, and every development in the field will be evaluated to determine the next search steps,” Al Amrad stated.
Previously, the group of eight—consisting of five journalists, two crew members, and one guide—lost contact on Monday (7/9). The group departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita, Banten, using a speedboat to cover activities at Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) at approximately 14:00 WIB.
They managed to send their latest location to a fellow journalist in Lampung at approximately 14:42 WIB, but lost contact shortly after at 15:04 WIB.
The identities of the eight individuals in the group include: Warta (55) as ship captain, Surakman (60) as crew member, Heriyanto (49) as guide, M. Bagus Khoirunnas (28) a journalist from ANTARA, Ari Basuki (52) a journalist from Merdeka, Yudhis a journalist from iNews, Daus (42) a journalist from Anadolu, and Donal, a freelance journalist.
This afternoon, the professional organisation Pewarta Foto Indonesia Jakarta (PFIJ) will hold a joint prayer session for their five colleagues and the three crew members currently being searched for. The prayer session is scheduled to take place after Maghrib this Friday at a corner of the Bundaran HI area, a frequent gathering point for photojournalists in Jakarta.