Volcanic ash and weather pose obstacles in search for five journalists in Sunda Strait
The joint SAR (Search and Rescue) team continues its efforts to locate five journalists who lost contact while covering activity at Mount Anak Krakatau in the waters of the Sunda Strait. The search operation is facing several obstacles, ranging from volcanic ash and strong winds to high sea waves.
The five journalists were reported missing along with three others in a single speedboat group while travelling towards the Mount Anak Krakatau area on Monday, 7 September 2026.
Entering the third day of the search operation on Thursday, 10 September 2026, the joint SAR team has expanded the sweeping area into six sectors, covering a total area of approximately 2,483 square nautical miles.
There are several challenges faced by the SAR team in searching for the journalists and the group:
- Volcanic ash still fills the waters
Activity from Mount Anak Krakatau remains one of the primary challenges in the search operation. Volcanic ash is still being found in several areas of the Sunderm Strait waters, forcing vessels to adjust their navigation routes according to wind conditions.
The SAR team previously conducted sweeps around several islands near Anak Krakatau, including Rakata Island, Krakatoa, and Panjang Island. These areas are within a three-kilometre radius of the crater, which is a danger zone while the volcano is at Level III (Alert) status.
The presence of volcanic ash forces the team to prioritise personnel safety when conducting sweeps via boat.
- Weather and sea conditions
In addition to volcanic ash, weather and sea conditions are also acting as hindrances. During previous searches, the team faced strong winds with wave heights of approximately one to two metres.
These conditions necessitate extreme caution during maritime sweeps, as vessel movement is heavily influenced by sea conditions. The team must also account for the possibility that objects or vessels may have been carried away by currents from their last known location.
- Expansion of the search area
The SAR team is not only sweeping the area around Mount Anak Krakattu. Based on search planning and operational evaluations, the sweeping area has been expanded to several sectors within the Sunda Strait waters.
By the third day, the search area reached approximately 2,483 square nautical miles. This expansion was implemented to increase the chances of locating the missing group.
To extend the search range, the operation is not relying solely on boats. One Dauphin AS365 N3+ helicopter, registration number HR-3604, was deployed on Thursday, 10 September 2026.
The helicopter departed from Atang Sendjaja Airbase at approximately 12:36 WIB to assist in the search for the five journalists and the three others who remain missing.
Despite the aerial search efforts, Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency) stated that the operation has not yet located the missing group.
- Discovery of a life jacket
New hope emerged when the joint SAR team discovered a life jacket during the search operation on Thursday, 10 September 2026.
The item was found by the Navy vessel KAL Anyer 1-3-64 at approximately 15:32 WIB. The discovery location was approximately 7.5 nautical miles west of the Tanjung Koneng Anyer Light, or about 20 nautical miles northeast of Mount Anak Krakatau.
A white bottle resembling a buoy was also found near the location. However, as of the latest report, the team is still conducting verification to confirm whether these items are related to the missing journalists.
The Head of Basarnas, Mohammad Syafii, confirmed that the search operation will be optimised for seven days. As of Thursday night, the whereabouts of the five journalists and the three others remain unknown.
The search operation continues with the involvement of various agencies. Weather conditions, volcanic activity, and the vastness of the maritime area remain critical factors that the team must manage to ensure safety while maximising the chances of finding the missing group.