From a 2:42 p.m. Location Pin to 8,509 Square Nautical Miles: The Verified 10-Day Search for Eight People in the Sunda Strait

PANDEGLANG, Banten — The 10-day search for five journalists and three other occupants of the speedboat Arupadhatu I ended on September 17 without a confirmed sighting of the vessel, its passengers or its crew. Authorities said the operation could be reopened if credible new information emerges, but they did not announce a discovery or a verified explanation for what happened after the boat lost contact.

The following timeline is based on statements and reports from the Banten provincial government, Basarnas-linked officials, police and Antara. Where the public record does not establish an event, it is identified as unknown rather than inferred.

What we know

Eight people left Pagedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, at about 2 p.m. on Monday, September 7, heading toward Mount Anak Krakatau to document volcanic activity.
A member of the group sent a location at about 2:42 p.m. Communication could no longer be established by about 3:04 p.m.
The five journalists were identified as M. Bagus Khoirunnas of Antara, Ari Basuki of Merdeka.com, Yudistiro Pranoto of iNews.id, Firdaus Wajidi of Anadolu Agency and freelance photojournalist Donal Husni. The other occupants were captain Warta, crew member Surakman and guide Heriyanto.
No source reviewed for this report confirms the boat’s final position, the cause of the disappearance, or the fate of the eight people.

September 7: Departure and last known contact

The group departed from the Carita area for the waters around Anak Krakatau. According to police information published the next day, the last shared location came at 2:42 p.m.; communication was lost roughly 22 minutes later. Search teams began checking the last known area and nearby waters of the Sunda Strait.

September 9: The search widens

By the second day, police, Basarnas and other SAR elements were searching routes connected to the group’s planned journey. The sweep was extended toward Pulau Rakata and Pulau Panjang to account for possible movement caused by currents. Police said the search was guided by weather, sea conditions and the last communication point.

Days 3 to 5: More personnel, air assets and material checks

During the third day, the operation was reported to involve 11 vessels and about 300 personnel, with searches by sea and air around Anak Krakatau, Rakata, Panjang and Sertung. On the fourth and fifth days, the coverage grew beyond 3,200 square nautical miles and reached coastal waters near Bengkunat in Lampung.

A helicopter and thermal drones were used. Teams recovered objects including a jerrycan, tarpaulin, flotation equipment and a life jacket for identification. The Ministry of Communication and Digital also contributed cellular-network and frequency-spectrum analysis. None of those early objects was publicly confirmed as belonging to Arupadhatu I.

Days 6 and 7: Current models and a three-day extension

On day six, the search area was expanded to about 6,010 square nautical miles, following predicted current drift toward the Indian Ocean and Bengkulu. Officials said BMKG and the Geological Agency’s volcanic-hazard center contributed current and target-drift assessments. Fog restricted visibility and limited helicopter operations, while teams continued monitoring volcanic conditions near Anak Krakatau.

By Monday, September 14, the seventh day, the result remained negative. After an evaluation at the joint command post in Carita, Basarnas extended the operation by three days, beginning Tuesday, September 15. The Banten governor said the request also reflected communication with the families, who were receiving updates and assistance.

Day 8: A multi-sector sweep

On September 15, the official provincial account said 20 maritime assets were deployed: four KRI warships, two KAL vessels, one Navy RBB, eight Polairud boats and three KN SAR vessels, plus two rigid inflatable boats. The sectors covered waters near Pulau Panaitan, Sebesi, Legundi, Anyer, Carita, Sumur and Tanjung Lesung, with a reported combined area of about 4,762 square nautical miles for that day’s plan.

A video circulating on social media led teams to check an object resembling wreckage. A sea rider and drone inspection did not locate it. Visibility was reported at about one to 1.5 kilometers; waves were 0.5 to 0.75 meters in the operating area and reached 2.5 meters toward the Indian Ocean. Anak Krakatau remained at Alert Level III, with no eruption reported during the search.

Days 9 and 10: No confirmed lead

Searchers continued extending the drift-based sweep toward western waters, including Bengkulu, while coordinating with fishermen, passing vessels and vessel-traffic authorities. By the final day, Antara reported 523 personnel working across land, sea and air over 8,509 square nautical miles.

Thirteen floating objects had been examined during the 10-day operation, including life jackets, a tarpaulin, a helmet and other material. Banten’s water-and-air police directorate said none was connected to the missing boat or its equipment. No debris field, distress signal or confirmed location was announced.

September 17: Active operation ends, monitoring remains

On Thursday, September 17, the three-day extension reached its limit. Banten Governor Andra Soni announced that the joint SAR operation was being terminated because the search had produced no significant sign of the boat or the eight people. Basarnas Banten chief Al Amrad said the end of active operations did not end monitoring: vessel-traffic services, Navy and water-police patrols, and ships crossing the Sunda Strait would continue watching for information.

Authorities said a credible new sighting or other reliable lead would trigger the reopening of the SAR operation. As of September 20, however, the verified public record still contains no confirmed account of where Arupadhatu I went after its last known communication.