Indonesia ends two-week search for missing eight, including five journalists, after speedboat vanishes

Pakistani journalists hold a vigil for five Indonesian journalists who went missing while they were covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau from a speedboat that also vanished into the waters between Java and Sumatra. — AFP pic

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Summary

• Indonesian authorities officially ended the search for eight individuals, including five journalists, whose speedboat disappeared nearly two weeks ago between Java and Sumatra.
• The decision, announced by Banten province governor Andra Soni, came after deeming the operation ineffective, despite the efforts to locate the missing persons.

First Published: Thursday, 17 Sep 2026 8:14 PM MYT

JAKARTA, Sept 17 — Indonesian rescuers formally called off a search Thursday for eight people, including five journalists sent to cover a volcanic eruption, nearly two weeks after their speedboat went missing in waters between Java and Sumatra islands, an official said.

“The national search and rescue said that as this search and rescue operation has been deemed ineffective, with a heavy heart the joint operation... is hereby declared terminated,” Banten province governor Andra Soni told reporters. — AFP