Missing Journalists Search Urged to Resume After Crew Member Identified

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Press Photographers Association (PFI) has urged the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and the joint search team to resume operations for a group of journalists who went missing while covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.

The call came after authorities confirmed that a body found on Enggano Island in Bengkulu belonged to Surakman, a crew member of the boat carrying the journalists.

“We urge the state to make every effort to locate our five journalist colleagues and the two other boat crew members who are still missing,” PFI Central Executive Chairman Dwi Pambudo said in a written statement on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

PFI expressed its condolences to Surakman’s family. At the same time, the organization said the discovery of the crew member’s body could provide a crucial new lead after Basarnas officially ended the joint search operation on its 10th day, on September 17.

Dwi said the discovery of Surakman’s body was the first confirmed physical evidence since the group went missing.

“This dispels all speculation and provides a new indication of the possible whereabouts of the boat and the other survivors,” Dwi said.

PFI called on the joint search team to conduct intensive searches around the area where Surakman’s body was found, as well as along the waters from the Sunda Strait toward Enggano Island.

Dwi also recalled a commitment made by search and rescue authorities when the operation was suspended last week.

“They stated that the rescue operation would be immediately reopened automatically if new clues or signs emerged regarding the victims’ whereabouts,” he said.

Police on Wednesday confirmed that the body found on Enggano Island, North Bengkulu, was Surakman, a crew member of KM Arupadatu, which was carrying five journalists reported missing in the Sunda Strait.

The Banten Regional Police announced the identification after DNA testing matched the body with a family member.

Banten Police Chief Inspector General Hengki said he initially received a report about the discovery of an unidentified body in Bengkulu.

“Precisely on Saturday, the fifth day of the search, we received information from Bengkulu that an unidentified body had been found on Enggano Island, North Bengkulu,” Hengki said at an online news conference on Wednesday, September 23.

The body was transported by Cessna aircraft to Bhayangkara Hospital in Bengkulu. The Banten Police’s medical and health division then submitted ante-mortem and post-mortem data from eight families of people who had lost contact.

DNA testing subsequently confirmed that the body belonged to Surakman.

“He was identified as Surakman, a member of the boat’s crew,” Hengki said.

The group departed for Mount Anak Krakatau on Monday, September 7, 2026. They left at around 2 p.m. local time from Pandeglang Carita Port in Pandeglang, Banten.

The Banten Basarnas office received the initial report that the group was missing at around 1:55 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8. The report was made by a colleague of one of the journalists, who worked for the Antara news agency.

The group lost contact at 2:42 p.m. that day. They were believed to be in waters between Carita and Mount Anak Krakatau at the time. At 6:13 p.m., their position was detected near Mount Anak Krakatau.

Eight people were aboard the boat: Warta, 55, the boat’s captain; Surakman, 60, a crew member; Heriyanto, 49, a guide; and five journalists.

The journalists were M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Antara, Ari Basuki of Merdeka, Yudhis of iNews, Daus of Anadolu, and Donal, a freelance journalist.