September 9, 2026 | 08:01 am
Tourists arrive by speedboat at Gili Trawangan Harbor, Gili Indah Village, Pemenang District, Tanjung, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, July 6, 2025. Antara/Ahmad Subaidi
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sandi Wiasa, the owner of the boat carrying a group of journalists to cover the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in Indonesia, confirmed that the vessel was seaworthy and equipped with the necessary documents and life jackets when it departed from Pegedongan Pier in Carita, Banten, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026."The boat used was mine; it departed yesterday—sometime after 2:00 PM WIB—from Pegedongan Pier," Sandi said in a video statement monitored in Jakarta on Tuesday, Sept. 8, evening.Sandi stated that water conditions were normal at the time of departure and the boat was carrying eight people, which was within its capacity."It was seaworthy. The boat was fit for the journey," he said.He also confirmed that the boat possessed the required permits and life jackets."Regarding equipment and permits, we have them; we have the boat's registration papers, and we have life jackets," Sandi said.According to Sandi, he first received news that the boat could not be contacted from the Carita Sector Police Chief around 1:00 PM. He noted that he did not receive this information directly from the boat's captain.The boat was also equipped with a portable Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, though Sandi admitted he did not know if the device could be used to track the boat's location.Upon learning that contact with the boat had been lost, Sandi attempted to gather information by contacting relatives in the Sebesi Island area of Lampung and coordinating with the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas)."Yes, I have contacted some of our relatives in the Sebesi, Lampung area. Thankfully, they are currently trying to assist in the search efforts alongside local fishermen," he said.Sandi stated that the trip from Carita to the Krakatau area typically takes about two hours.He also confirmed that the guide accompanying the group had sent a photo showing the condition of Mount Anak Krakatau to his wife."The guide still had it [the photo]," Sandi said.According to him, the photo was sent approximately four hours after the boat departed from Carita and clearly showed the condition of Mount Anak Krakatau. Sandi stated that the boat was positioned more than three kilometers away from the crater of Mount Anak Krakatau when the photograph was taken.According to a report from the Banten Search and Rescue (SAR) Office, the speedboat carrying the group of journalists departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita, on Monday (Sept. 7) at 14:00 WIB to cover the activity of Mount Anak Krakatau.Records of the final communication indicate that the victim shared their current location with a fellow journalist in Lampung at 14:42 WIB, before contact was lost at 15:04 WIB near the estimated coordinates 6°14'40.52"S, 105°40'49.48"E.Banten SAR Office Head Al Amrad stated that during the search operation—which continued until 18:15 WIB—the deployed team reached Krakatau Island and Panjang Island but found no trace of the missing persons.The search operation is scheduled to resume on Wednesday (Sept. 9) morning. The Banten SAR Office has deployed the KN SAR Tatuka and a Banten Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB)—equipped with water rescue, medical, and communication gear—in collaboration with the Banten Regional Police's Water and Air Police Unit (Polairud)."Regarding the plan for tomorrow, we will expand the search area, as today we studied the route from Carita to Anak Krakatau," he said.Preliminary data from Basarnas (the National Search and Rescue Agency) indicates that at least seven individuals are currently the subject of the search. They include photojournalist M. Bagus Khoirunnas (ANTARA News Agency), Ari Basuki (Merdeka), Yudhis (iNews), Daus (Anadolu), and Donal (freelance journalist), along with two others whose details are still being verified.
