Jakarta, ThedailyID — Weather conditions were relatively calm when five journalists lost contact near Mount Anak Krakatau on Monday, September 7, 2026. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) said it found no signs of rain during the period.
BMKG Public Meteorology Acting Director Ida Pramudawardani said the weather remained partly cloudy from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Maximum wind speeds reached around 15 knots, or 7.5 meters per second.
“The weather conditions from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. were good. There were no indications or detections of rain,” Ida said at the parliamentary complex, Friday, September 11, 2026.
Sea conditions also appeared relatively calm. Ida said wave heights reached a maximum of only one meter.
However, she pointed to volcanic ash as a factor that authorities needed to consider. Satellite imagery showed ash around Anak Krakatau at the time.
“The ash was still visible in satellite imagery up to an altitude of around 50,000 feet, or about 15,000 meters,” Ida said.
The five journalists lost contact at around 2 p.m. on September 7. They had traveled by speedboat from Pagedongan Pier in Carita, Pandeglang, Banten.
The group went to the area to cover Anak Krakatau, which had erupted since the previous weekend.
The group included M Bagus Khoirunnas from ANTARA, Ari Basuki from Merdeka, Yudhis from iNews, Daus from Anadolu and freelance journalist Donal.
Two boat crew members, Warta, 55, and Surakman, 60, also joined the trip. A tour guide named Heriyanto, 49, was also on board.
Authorities continue efforts to locate the missing group. The available BMKG data indicates that rain and high waves did not dominate the area when the group lost contact.
