Five Journalists Missing After Speedboat Disappears Near Anak Krakatau: What We Know So Far

Five journalists are among eight people missing after a speedboat travelling towards Anak Krakatau lost contact in the Sunda Strait, off Indonesia’s Banten province.

The group had left Pagedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, at around 14:00 local time on Monday (7 September 2026). They were travelling to report on recent volcanic activity at Anak Krakatau.

Among those on board were M. Bagus Khoirunnas from Antara News Agency, photographer Ari Basuki from Merdeka.com, Yudhis from iNews, Daus from Anadolu Agency and freelance journalist Donal. The other three people were reported to include the boat's crew and its owner.

One of the journalists shared his location with a colleague on shore at 14:42. Contact with the boat was lost at 15:04, just 22 minutes later.

The disappearance has prompted concern among journalists and media organisations in Indonesia, as the group was believed to have been travelling as part of a reporting assignment on Anak Krakatau's increased activity.

The speedboat was reportedly owned by the head of Carita village and had previously been used to travel in waters around Krakatau. The cause of the incident remains unclear.

A joint search operation was launched after the boat was reported missing. Rescue teams from Pandeglang, together with the Banten police's marine and air unit, deployed RIB 02 Banten to search around the last known location.

Search efforts have been complicated by conditions in the Sunda Strait. Winds were reported to have reached 16.7 knots, while waves were around one metre high. Strong currents in the strait could also make it difficult to determine the boat's drift.

The search for the eight people, including the five journalists, was continuing on Tuesday afternoon.