Second Day: SAR Team Expands Search for Five Journalists and Three Speedboat Crew Members

LAMPUNG | INDATANEWS.COM - On the second day of the search operation, Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team expanded its efforts to locate five journalists and three crew members of a speedboat. The eight people remain missing in the waters surrounding the Anak Krakatau volcano. Police personnel from KP.XXV-1001 and KP.XXV-2009 at Panjang Port joined the operation, along with two officers from KP HAYABUSA 3008 of the Baharkam Polri Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) and the Basarnas Lampung SAR team.

The joint team deployed patrol boats and personnel to search several areas believed to be connected to the speedboat's route while transporting the group. At the same time, officers placed particular emphasis on personnel safety and ensuring that the search operation was conducted as effectively as possible.

Head of the Lampung Police Public Relations Division, Kombes Pol Yuni Isawandari Yuyun, said the police and all participating agencies would continue the search, with the safety of personnel and the effectiveness of the operation remaining the top priorities.

"The search has entered its second day after the joint team previously covered several areas that could potentially be connected to the group's whereabouts. The search area was subsequently expanded to increase the chances of locating the eight people who remain missing," Kombes Yuni said.

Search Expanded to Additional Sea Areas

Kombes Yuni also said a readiness briefing to strengthen the joint SAR operation was led by Basarnas Lampung Operations Coordinator Agus Mujiono. During the briefing, personnel readiness as well as the resources and vessels deployed to expand the search in Lampung's waters were coordinated.

"The joint team is searching several areas at sea that are considered part of the route or locations potentially connected to the group's whereabouts. The search area covers the waters off Pulau Legundi and Pulau Sebesi, extending to the waters surrounding the Anak Krakatau volcano," she said.

Kombes Yuni added that expanding the search area was part of the team's strategy to increase the operational coverage. Given the vast expanse of the waters, personnel and boats must be distributed across several points where there is a possibility of finding clues regarding the group's whereabouts.

"In addition to expanding the search area, officers are also monitoring sea conditions and the route the speedboat is believed to have taken. The team is optimizing the deployment of patrol boats to cover a wider search area," Kombes Yuni explained.

Police Deploy Patrol Boats

Meanwhile, Director of the Lampung Police Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud), Kombes Pol Erick Sartani Marbun, said his unit had mobilized personnel and patrol boats to expand the search at several points believed to be part of the speedboat's route.

"The deployment of police vessels is an important component of the joint SAR operation. With the support of patrol boats, personnel can reach multiple points at sea while monitoring areas that are difficult to access by land," Kombes Erick said.

Kombes Erick explained that two officers from KP.XXV-1001 and KP.XXV-2009 at Panjang Port, as well as two officers from KP HAYABUSA 3008 of the Baharkam Polri Ditpolairud, were involved in the search operation.

"The involvement of personnel and police vessels strengthens the joint SAR operation, which has been intensified since the beginning of the second day of the search. The personnel are combining the capabilities of the participating units to expand the search range across Lampung's waters," he said.

Meanwhile, Basarnas Lampung deployed four personnel to support the operation. Basarnas personnel are working alongside the police, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), Kodam XXI and other SAR units to search and monitor several areas at sea.

Joint Team Continues Monitoring the Waters

Kombes Erick said several units were participating in the joint SAR operation to determine the whereabouts of the eight people who had still not been found on the second day. The TNI AL, Kodam XXI, police, Basarnas and other SAR units continue to intensify monitoring in the areas designated as search zones.

The team is searching not only the waters off Pulau Legundi and Pulau Sebesi, but has also expanded the operation to the waters surrounding the Anak Krakatau volcano. The expansion is intended to increase search coverage while also improving the chances of locating the missing group.

"The police and participating agencies are continuously evaluating the progress of the operation based on the results of field searches. Any information that could support the search process will be assessed by the team and used as a basis for determining the next search points," Kombes Erick explained.

During the operation, which is being conducted under challenging conditions at sea, the safety of all personnel remains the primary concern. The joint SAR team will continue searching and monitoring the area until the whereabouts of the eight people are determined and they are found.

The second day of the search operation is part of the joint efforts of various agencies to conduct the search as comprehensively as possible. With additional personnel and patrol boats, the team hopes to continue the search successfully across several areas of Lampung's waters and locate the entire missing group.

It was previously reported that five journalists and three speedboat crew members had lost contact. The five journalists departed from the Pagedongan Pier in Carita aboard a speedboat at around 2:00 p.m. WIB on Monday, September 7, 2026. According to the official chronology released by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the group's last contact was recorded at 2:42 p.m. WIB.

At that time, one of the journalists sent his last location, or a location link, to Putra M. Akbar, a colleague and member of the Indonesian Photojournalists Association (PFI) in Lampung. The location was between Carita and the Anak Krakatau volcano. Following that last contact, communication with the group was completely lost at 6:13 p.m. WIB.

The five journalists aboard the speedboat are M. Bagus Khoirunnas, a photojournalist with the Antara news agency; Ari Basuki, a photojournalist with Merdeka.com; Yudistiro Pranoto, a photojournalist with iNews.id; Firman Daus, a journalist with Anadolu Agency; and Donal, a freelance journalist. (IDNC)

REPORTER: H. Muhammad Said Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala