According to the Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG), weather conditions around Gunung Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait were clear to partly cloudy with maximum wind speeds of 15 knots, or 7.5 meters per second, when five journalists and three crew members went missing during a reporting trip on Monday, September 7, 2026.
Weather and Sea Conditions During the Incident
Plh Direktur Meteorologi Publik BMKG, Ida Pramuwardani, stated during a briefing at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, that weather conditions between 14.00 and 18.00 WIB on that Monday were categorized as good. Ida noted that there was no indication or detection of rain in the area.
According to Ida, the wind speeds were not particularly strong, and wave heights were estimated at a maximum of 1 meter at a significant distance from the shore. Additional reporting from nasional.kompas.com noted that the rapid boat departed from Pagedongan Pier, Carita, Pandeglang, at approximately 14.00 WIB carrying eight people. Kumparan.com added that final communication from the vessel was cut off at approximately 15.04 WIB on the same afternoon.
Did You Know? The missing speedboat, named Arupadhatu 1 according to nasional.kompas.com, set sail carrying five journalists, a captain named Warta, a crew member named Sukarman, and a guide named Heriyanto.
Volcanic Ash and Ongoing Monitoring
While weather and wave conditions showed nothing significant to disrupt safety around the volcano, Ida emphasized that volcanic ash conditions remained visible via satellite imagery. Ida explained that the height of the ash from Anak Krakatau reached around 50.000 feet, or roughly 15,000 meters, on Monday.
Kumparan.com reported that by the early hours following the incident, satellite observations showed the ash had drifted predominantly westward toward the Indian Ocean, with no ash dispersal detected around the volcano or Indonesian waters by 1:00 AM. BMKG reported that weather conditions around Gunung Anak Krakatau are expected to remain stable, with no significant potential for rain or hazardous waves forecast for the subsequent three days.
Expert Insight: Examining environmental factors beyond immediate surface weather—such as high-altitude volcanic ash dispersal and localized maritime traffic—remains a standard procedure when analyzing maritime safety incidents near active geological sites like Krakatau.
Search Operations and Next Steps
Following the disappearance of the vessel, search efforts involving joint SAR teams, local coastal residents, and a deployed helicopter have been underway in the Sunda Strait. Nasional.kompas.com noted that President Prabowo ordered the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) to search for the missing group of journalists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the weather conditions when the journalists went missing?
According to BMKG, the weather between 14.00 and 18.00 WIB on Monday, September 7, 2026, was clear to partly cloudy with no indication of rain, maximum wind speeds of 15 knot, and wave heights peaking at a maximum of 1 meter far from the shore.
Who were the individuals on board the speedboat?
The boat carried five journalists—M Bagus Khoirunnas (ANTARA), Ari Basuki (Merdeka.com), Yudistiro Pranoto (iNews), Firman Daus (Anadolu Agency), and freelance journalist Donal Husni—alongside captain Warta, crew member Sukarman, and guide Heriyanto.
/data/photo/2026/09/09/6aa14507b7673.jpg "Photo: nasional.kompas.com")
Did weather cause the disappearance?
No. According to BMKG, weather and wave conditions did not show anything significant that would threaten safety, though satellite imagery did track heavy volcanic ash reaching an altitude of 15,000 meters around the time of the voyage.
What steps should authorities prioritize next as joint rescue teams continue combing the Sunda Strait for the missing journalists and crew?
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