Journalists missing in Indonesia after volcano mission
Members of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency attend a briefing after a search operation for people reported missing, following the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, in Serang, Banten province, Indonesia, Sep 8, 2026. The search operation was for missing people, including journalists covering the activity of Mount Anak Krakatau. (Photo: REUTERS/Henny Murniati)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
JAKARTA: Indonesian teams were searching on Tuesday (Sep 8) for eight people, including five journalists who had gone missing while travelling to cover the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, the national rescue agency said.
The group set out on a speedboat from an area near the capital Jakarta on Monday afternoon, but “until now they have not returned, and the boat owner has not received any information from the crew”, the agency said.
The five Indonesian journalists on board were sent to capture photos and video of the volcano’s eruption, which since Saturday had paralysed several airports and blanketed Jakarta and neighbouring cities in volcanic ash.
The journalists were working for local and international media, including state news agency Antara, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu and local website iNews.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
One of the journalists contacted a colleague and shared his location at 3pm on Monday, but has not been heard from since, according to the rescue agency.
Rescuers, police and the company that owns the speedboat were all involved in the search, it added.
The head of the local search and rescue agency, Al Amrad, said in a statement the boat carried five journalists, two crew members and a guide.
He was also quoted by broadcaster Kompas TV as saying that the search had been halted for the day, and would resume on Wednesday morning.
Antara news agency confirmed its photographer, Muhammad Bagus Khoirunas, was one of the passengers on the missing boat.
The agency said it was coordinating with authorities to seek more information, but it was informed by the police that the search was hampered by high waves and poor visibility.
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago, due in part to lax safety standards and inclement weather.
In January, three Spanish tourists died when their boat sank off eastern Indonesia, and a 10-year-old boy was listed as officially missing, presumed dead, after authorities ended the search.
Source: AFP/fh
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
