DNA Test Identifies Body Found on Enggano Island as Missing Boat Crew Member

The Banten Regional Police (Polda Banten) have confirmed that DNA testing has identified a body found on Enggano Island, Bengkulu, as Surakman, also known as Sukarman, 60, one of the crew members of the KM Arupadatu I speedboat.

The vessel was carrying a group of journalists who lost contact in the waters off the Sunda Strait, Pandeglang, on 7 September 2026.

Banten Police Chief Inspector General Hengki said the identification was confirmed after the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team from the Indonesian National Police's Medical and Health Centre (Pusdokkes Polri) conducted detailed DNA testing and comparison.

"Based on the results of DNA testing conducted by the DVI operation of the Indonesian National Police Medical and Health Centre on the body found on Enggano Island, genetically coded PM/62/P.Enggano/01, the remains have been identified as Sukarman, a crew member of the vessel and the biological father of Yayan," Hengki said during an online press conference monitored from Tangerang on Wednesday (23 September 2026).

The identification process began as part of a search and rescue operation for eight people: five journalists and three crew members of the KM Arupadatu I. They lost contact after departing from Pagedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, at around 2pm to cover the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.

After an intensive search involving a joint team, a breakthrough came on the fifth day of the operation, Saturday (12 September).

Police in Bengkulu discovered the body of an unidentified man in the waters off Sawang Bengkok, Kahyapu Village, Enggano District.

Following the discovery, the Banten Police Medical and Health Division coordinated with authorities in Bengkulu to secure and evacuate the body. The remains were transported by Cessna aircraft to Bhayangkara Hospital in Bengkulu for further identification.

"The Banten Police Medical and Health Division then sent ante-mortem and post-mortem data from the families of all eight people who had lost contact.

The DVI team, together with the Indonesian National Police Medical and Health Centre, then compared primary identification data, including fingerprints, dental records and DNA," Hengki said, as reported by Antara.

Following the completion of the identification process, Sukarman's remains are scheduled to be flown from Bengkulu to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang before being taken to his family home in Pandeglang.

"The remains will be transported tomorrow from the Bengkulu Medical and Health Division to Soekarno-Hatta Airport and then handed over to the family," Hengki said.