Sunda Strait Search for Missing Journalists Expands to 6,010 Square NM

September 13, 2026 | 02:43 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's joint search and rescue (SAR) team has expanded and divided the search area for the Arupadhatu 1 speedboat, which was carrying five journalists who lost contact in the Sunda Strait, into six sectors covering a total of 6,010 square nautical miles.

Rangga Aribowo, a junior maritime and aviation accident specialist at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), said in Pandeglang, Banten, on Sunday that the search area consists of five sea sectors, V through Z, and one aerial sector.

"The search area covers 6,010 square nautical miles, which is quite extensive, so it has been divided into six sectors consisting of five sea sectors and one aerial sector," he said.

Six Search Sectors

Rangga said Sector V covers 840 square nautical miles and involves two Indonesian Navy vessels, KRI Kerambit and KRI Teluk Gilimanuk.

Sector W covers 1,120 square nautical miles and involves one Navy vessel, KAL Anyer.

Sector X has the largest number of vessels deployed, with eight ships searching an area of 681 square nautical miles. They include KN SAR Tetuka, RBB Peucang, RIB 02 Basarnas Banten, RIB 02 Basarnas Lampung, Police Vessel 2016, Police Vessel 2013, KM Garuda, and KM Bima.

Sector Y covers 497 square nautical miles and involves KP Sanjaya and KRI Lepu.

Sector Z covers 809 square nautical miles and involves KN SAR Basudewa from Basarnas Lampung and KN SAR Antasena from Basarnas Jakarta.

For the aerial sector, one helicopter has been placed on standby at the Air Traffic Services (ATS) facility to monitor conditions in the Sunda Strait.

Rangga said the aerial search had not yet begun because previous visual searches indicated poor visibility.

"For the aerial sector, we are on standby to monitor the situation in the Sunda Strait. If conditions later become suitable and it is safe to fly, we will conduct the aerial search," he said.

A total of 15 vessels and one helicopter have been deployed in the search operation, he said. The number of personnel involved has also continued to increase, reaching 551 people as of the latest update.

Eight People Still Missing

Eight people remain missing after departing from Pegedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, on Monday, September 7, at around 2 PM local time for the Anak Krakatau area.

Five of them are journalists: M. Bagus Khoirunnas of ANTARA, Ari Basuki of Merdeka, Yudhistiro Pranoto of iNews, Firman Daus of Anadolu, and freelance journalist Donal Husni.

The other three are Warta, the boat's captain; Surakman, a crew member; and Heriyanto, a guide.

The joint SAR team is continuing to search for the eight people and evaluate every finding that could provide clues to their whereabouts.

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