Pandeglang, Banten. Indonesian search and rescue teams deployed thermal-imaging drones on Thursday as they entered the third day of a mission to find five journalists and three speedboat crew members who went missing while covering the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano off the coast of Banten.

The specialized drones were deployed after search teams encountered several objects that initially appeared potentially linked to the missing speedboat or its passengers but turned out to be unrelated.

“Yesterday, we found two suspicious objects in the Anak Krakatau area, but after checking them, they turned out not to be the speedboat or belongings of the journalists,” said Al Amrad, head of the Banten branch of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

“Therefore, today we will again use thermal drones to monitor the Anak Krakatau area and its surroundings,” he added.

The thermal-imaging technology is being used to support aerial surveillance, particularly in areas that are difficult to reach by sea, as rescuers seek to expand their coverage and improve the chances of locating the eight missing people.

Basarnas has also expanded the search area toward the waters off Lampung and the Indian Ocean.

Al Amrad said rescuers were considering conducting searches closer to Anak Krakatau, which lies in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, but any move into the area would depend on volcanic activity and the safety risks to personnel.

“We remain focused on searching the northern area toward Lampung and the Indian Ocean,” he said. “To enter the Anak Krakatau area, we have to consider whether conditions allow it. If it is not dangerous, we will go in.”

On the third day of the operation, Basarnas was also assisted by volunteers from the Carita Beach and Sebesi Island areas, who joined the search using three boats.

Search teams have previously combed waters around Sebesi Island, Anak Krakatau, Rakata Island, Panjang Island and Sertung Island.

The five missing journalists were identified as Bagus Khoirunnas of state news agency Antara, Ari Basuki of news website Merdeka, Yudhis of television station iNews, Daus of Turkey's Anadolu Agency, and Donal, a freelance journalist.

Also missing are three speedboat crew members identified as Warta, Surakman and Heriyanto.

The group departed from Carita Beach in Pandeglang Regency aboard the speedboat Arupadhatu 1 on Sept. 7.

There has been no confirmed sighting of the vessel or the eight people aboard it since they went missing.

‘Come Home Soon, Son’
Mansyur, Bagus' father, expressed hope that his son would soon be found alive.

Bagus is his youngest child and the only one of his three children still living, after his two older siblings died.

“I hope he is found soon. Come home soon, son,” Mansyur said, holding back tears during an interview at his home in Lebak Regency, Banten.

He described Bagus as a dedicated photojournalist who would go to great lengths for his assignments. On one occasion, Mansyur recalled, his son left home at 3 a.m. to cover the story of a teacher in a remote village in Pandeglang.

Bagus also documented the deadly 2018 tsunami in Banten, which was triggered by the collapse of part of Anak Krakatau during an eruption. Mansyur said many of his son's photographs have been published by national and international media organizations.

“He has truly become a professional photojournalist. Many of his works have also been used by both national and international media,” Mansyur said.

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