Five journalists went missing in Indonesia after taking a speedboat to cover the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano. Authorities are currently intensifying search efforts amid high waves and poor visibility.
Indonesian rescue officials have mobilized to search for eight missing individuals, including five journalists, who left an area near Jakarta to follow and document the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano. So far, there has been no contact from them.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency revealed on 8 September that the group departed by speedboat from near Jakarta on the afternoon of Monday, 7 September, but has not returned to shore. The boat owner reported receiving no information or communication from the crew.
The missing include five Indonesian journalists, two crew members, and one guide. The journalists were traveling to capture photos and videos of the Anak Krakatau volcano’s eruption, which began the previous Saturday and caused several airports to suspend operations, with volcanic ash covering Jakarta and surrounding cities.
The five journalists work for both domestic and international media, including reporters from Antara News Agency, Indonesia’s official news outlet; Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency; and the local news website iNews.
The Search and Rescue Agency stated that one journalist contacted colleagues around 3:00 p.m. on Monday and sent their location coordinates but has not been reachable since.
Rescue personnel, police, and the speedboat company have jointly launched a search for the missing. Al Amrad, head of the local search and rescue unit, said the boat carried eight people in total: five journalists, two crew members, and one guide.
However, the search has been challenging due to high sea waves and poor visibility. Antara News Agency reported being informed by police that the search had to be suspended on that day and would resume on the morning of Wednesday, 9 September.
Antara News Agency confirmed that Muhammad Bagus Koirunas, a photographer for the agency, was among the missing passengers and is coordinating with authorities to gather more information about the incident.
Maritime accidents and missing boat incidents occur periodically in Indonesia, an archipelago nation, due to factors including varying safety standards in some areas and unpredictable weather conditions.
In January, three Spanish tourists died when their boat sank in eastern Indonesian waters, while a 10-year-old boy was officially listed as missing and presumed dead after authorities ended search operations.
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