Search for Missing Journalists' Boat Extended to Bengkulu

The search for a group of journalists who lost contact in the waters around Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait has been extended to the Bengkulu region.

The involvement of the Basarnas Bengkulu office is based on estimates that the victims may have been carried by currents towards the island of Sumatra.

“We are being assisted by the Bengkulu SAR office to cover their operational area. So the SAR map area that we have predicted, which points towards the Bengkulu SAR office’s territory, is already being covered by our colleagues there,” said Riski Dwiyanto, Head of Operations at Basarnas Banten, on Tuesday (15/9).

The search on its eighth day covered an area of approximately 3,900 nautical miles (NM).

The operation involved KRI Gilimanuk, KRI Leuser, KRI Lepu, KRI Kerambit, KN SAR Antasena, the Sanjaya police vessel, KN SAR Tetuka, KN SAR Basudewa, KAL Pahawang, KAL Anyer, RIB 02 Lampung, RIB 02 Banten, RBB Pecang, as well as KP 2016, KP 2013, KP 1010, KP 1012, KP 1007, KP 1003 and KP URC Erhan.

“As for the number of units and personnel involved, if we add them up there are roughly 647 people taking part in the SAR operation on its eighth day,” said Riski.

Riski said the weather was forecast to be partly cloudy, with waves reaching 2.5 metres towards the north-east during today’s search.

“Then the wind, at 5 to 20 knots, is moving from the south-east towards the south,” he said.

Previously, Bengkulu regional police carried out an autopsy and DNA sampling on unidentified bodies found on the coast of Enggano Island, North Bengkulu Regency.

This step has been communicated to Lampung regional police in connection with the possibility that the discovery of the bodies is linked to the group of photojournalists who lost contact whilst covering activity at Mount Anak Krakatau on 7 September.