Multiple Life Jackets Found During Search in Sunda Strait - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A joint search and rescue (SAR) team found several objects while searching for eight people who lost contact while monitoring Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait, Banten.

Basarnas Banten Operations and Readiness Subsection Head Rizky Dwianto said Sunday that the objects were found by SAR personnel conducting searches across several sectors.

In Sector V, the Indonesian Navy warships KRI Kerambit and KRI Teluk Gilimanuk conducted a search for about nine hours.

“During the search, KRI Teluk Gilimanuk found an orange life jacket and a tarp at 8:55 AM local time,” Rizky said.

In Sector W, the KAL Anyer patrol vessel searched for about nine hours around Teluk Belimbing in Lampung. Personnel found an orange life jacket at 9:45 AM.

Another search was conducted by KM Bima together with RIB 02 Banten and KM Garuda around Mount Anak Krakatau. The three vessels searched the same area.

“KM Bima found an orange life jacket near Rakata Island at 9:58 AM,” Rizky said.

Meanwhile, Basarnas Lampung’s RIB 02 found a tarp and a water container at around 10:15 AM while searching near Sebesi Island, in the southern part of the search area around Sangiang Island.

“For today’s overall SAR operation, we have handed the objects over to the authorities, in this case the police, for further investigation,” Rizky said.

Other SAR teams have yet to find any clues indicating the whereabouts of the eight people.

The eight people being searched for departed by speedboat from Pegedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, at around 2 PM on Monday, September 7, heading toward Mount Anak Krakatau.

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 were the boat’s captain, Warta; crew member Surakman; and guide Heriyanto.

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