Seven Journalists Missing After Speedboat Loses Contact in Sunda Strait

RRI.CO.ID, Pandeglang – A speedboat carrying seven Indonesian journalists from national and international media outlets was reported missing after losing contact in the Sunda Strait on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Authorities are searching the strait to locate the vessel as soon as possible.

The journalists were reportedly covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, which is located in the middle of the Sunda Strait, in the aftermath of its eruptions over the past weekend. The strait, which separates the islands of Sumatra and Java, lies administratively between the provinces of Banten on Java and Lampung on Sumatra.

According to a social media post by the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Lampung on Tuesday, five journalists were recorded as being aboard the speedboat: M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Indonesian news agency Antara, Arie Basuki of news website Merdeka.com, Yudhis of television network iNews, Daus of Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency, and Donal, a freelance journalist. Identities of the other two journalists were still being verified.

"The Lampung Provincial BPBD urges the public to join in praying for the safety of the journalists who are still being searched for," the Agency said.

On the same day, the Banten Search and Rescue Office launched a search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate the speedboat. The search initially focused on waters around Rakata Island and Panjang Island, near Mount Anak Krakatau.

"On the first day of the SAR operation, the Joint SAR Team deployed a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) belonging to Basarnas (Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency) to conduct a sweep around Rakata Island and Panjang Island," the office said in a social media post on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

The search was subsequently reinforced with the deployment of the SAR Tetuka 247 vessel and the office's personnel to the search area. By the end of the first day of the operation, the speedboat and all of its passengers remained missing.

The office said the operation would continue, with efforts focused on optimizing personnel, equipment, and coordination among all elements of the joint team. It said further updates would be provided based on official information and the results of the search in the field.