Indonesian rescuers searched for eight people who went missing at sea while heading the island of Anak Krakatau to report on a volcanic eruption, officials said on Wednesday (September 9, 2026).
A speedboat carrying five photojournalists, two crew members and a route guide lost contact after departing from Carita, a coastal town in Banten province, bound for the volcanic island located on the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, said Al Amrad, Banten province’s Search and Rescue Office chief. They have not been heard from since. He said the last message from the boat was received by relatives of a journalist on board at 6:13 p.m. on Monday (September 7), saying the group had arrived in the waters around Anak Krakatau. Their last known location was about 18.5 kilometres (11.5 miles) from shore.
Rescuers, who have been deployed since Tuesday, “still unable to establish contact with the group or determine their whereabouts,” Mr. Amrad said.
The government also authorised schools in areas affected by volcanic ash to shift temporarily to online learning to reduce students’ exposure to ash.
