Jakarta SAR Office Deploys Ship to Aid Search for Missing Journalist

Jakarta SAR Sends Antasena Vessel to Strengthen Sunda Strait Search

Tempatdonasi.com – Search efforts for eight people missing after the speedboat Arupadatu I lost contact in the Sunda Strait have received additional support from Jakarta’s search and rescue office. The KN SAR 234 Antasena has been assigned to assist operations in waters near Pandeglang Regency, Banten, where contact with the vessel was first lost on Monday, September 7, 2026.

The missing group includes five journalists and three people involved in operating or guiding the boat. Rescue teams have continued to widen their coverage as weather, currents, and the distance between search points remain key considerations in the operation.

Antasena Arrives in Cilegon

KN SAR 234 Antasena departed the Basarnas Pantai Mutiara Dock in Jakarta at 3 p.m. WIB on Friday, September 11. Carrying 18 personnel made up of ship crew and rescue staff, the vessel reached Indah Kiat Dock in Cilegon at 7:36 p.m. WIB.

From Cilegon, the ship is intended to be deployed where conditions in the field require it. Its arrival adds a larger maritime asset and additional trained personnel to the continuing search around the Sunda Strait.

“The addition of these elements is expected to support the search efforts to proceed more optimally in accordance with the developments in the field,” Desiana Kartika Bahari said in a written statement on Friday, September 11, 2026.

Desiana, head of the Jakarta SAR Office, said personnel participating in the mission will place operational safety first while remaining responsive to changes in the search situation.

Search Area Extends Toward Lampung Waters

Authorities are also expanding the operation toward waters near Lampung. The decision reflects concern that sea currents could have carried the missing people beyond the area where the speedboat was initially believed to have lost contact.

The group was last known to be in the Sunda Strait area off Banten. The strait is a major body of water between Java and Sumatra, making coordination across nearby coastal areas important when a maritime search covers more than one province.

“The search area will be expanded,” Yuni Iswandari, head of the Public Relations Division of the Lampung Regional Police, said in a written statement on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Extending the search does not establish that the group has reached Lampung waters. It reflects the need for teams to consider possible drift patterns and avoid limiting the operation to the original location of the incident.

Unmarked Orange Safety Vest Recovered West of Anyer

On the third day of the search, the Banten Navy Base recovered an orange safety vest in waters west of Anyer. The item had no markings, and officials have not confirmed whether it was connected to anyone aboard Arupadatu I.

The vest was found while Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel were sweeping the waters aboard the Navy vessel Anyer. Its distance from the original incident location means identification and further examination remain necessary before any conclusion can be drawn.

“The identification of the finding by the Anyer KAL team will still be conducted first. So, for clarity, please wait, considering the distance of the finding location from the incident site,” Lieutenant Colonel Wawan Subagyo Mardani said in Pandeglang on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Wawan, commander of the Banten Navy Base, stressed that the discovery alone could not yet be linked to the eight people being sought. In a search spanning open water, objects may travel far from their original location, so rescue agencies must assess each clue carefully.

Eight People Remain Missing

The people still being searched for are Warta, 55, the boat captain; Surakman, 60, a crew member; and Heriyanto, 49, a guide. The five journalists are M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Antara, Ari Basuki of Merdeka, Yudhis of iNews, Daus of Anadolu, and Donal, a freelance journalist.

The operation brings together maritime rescue personnel, naval elements, police, and local authorities as they work across a growing search zone. The deployment of Antasena is intended to give field teams greater support as they continue looking for the Arupadatu I and everyone on board.

For families, colleagues, and communities following the search, the recovery of a rescue vessel and the broader patrol area underscore that the operation remains active. Officials have urged patience while teams evaluate field developments and maintain safety standards during the mission.