SAR Team Discovers Life Jacket During Search Operation for Journalists

The ship has returned to the Ciwandan Pier and has been handed over to the SAR Office personnel at the Pier Lookout Post in Ciwandan.

Pandeglang (ANTARA) - A joint SAR team has once again discovered a life jacket during the fourth day of the search operation for five journalists and three crew members who lost contact during a mission to cover the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.

“The Navy Ship (KAL) Anyer departed from the Pelindo Ciwandan Pier at 09:00 for searching, and at 14:45, KAL Anyer found another orange life jacket. The ship has since docked at Ciwandan Pier, and the item has been handed over to the SAR Office team at the Pier Lookout Post in Ciwandan,” said the Head of the Banten SAR Office, Al Amrad, in Pandeglang, Banten, on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Banten Naval Base, Lieutenant Colonel (P) Wawan Subagyo Mardani, explained that the discovery was located east of Mount Anak Krakatau at a distance of approximately 16.2 nautical miles.

However, Wawan emphasised that further specifications regarding the discovery of the life jacket are still awaiting the identification process and cannot yet be linked to the missing journalists and crew members.

“Once the item was found and the ship docked, it was immediately handed over to the Basarnas team at the Pier Lookout Post in Ciwandan for further identification by colleagues from the Water Police (Polairud) and the National Police,” he added.

The five journalists on the speedboat have been identified as M. Bagus Khoirunnas (Antara News photojournalist), Ari Basuki (Merdeka.com photojournalist), Yudistiro Pranoto (iNews.id photojournalist), Firdaus Wajidi (Anadolu News Agency journalist), and Donal Husni (freelance photojournalist).

In addition to the five journalists, there were three others on board the vessel, namely the captain, a crew member, and a guide.