Mystery of Arupadhatu 1: Crew Member's Body Found 340 Km from Last Contact Point, Puzzle of Eight Passengers Remains Unsolved

The Banten Regional Police have revealed the identity of an unidentified body found in the waters of Sawang Bengkok, Kahyapu Village, Enggano District, North Bengkulu Regency. Following a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) examination, the body previously referred to as Mr. X was confirmed to be Surakman (60), a crew member (ABK) of Speedboat Arupadhatu 1, which was carrying five journalists covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK).

Banten Police Chief Insp. Gen. Hengki said the positive identification was obtained from genetic testing conducted at Bhayangkara Hospital of the Bengkulu Police. "The identification results based on the DVI examination show that, genetically, the body is identified as Surakman or a crew member of the vessel," he said at a press conference at the Banten Police Headquarters in Serang on Wednesday, September 23. The finding is the first breakthrough after a lengthy 10-day search operation that ended without results.

What complicates the case further is the location where the body was found. Based on satellite imagery analysis, the distance between the last point where Arupadhatu 1 was detected, near Sebesi Island in South Lampung, and the waters of Sawang Bengkok on Enggano Island is about 340 kilometers, or 188 nautical miles. Enggano Island itself lies in the Indian Ocean, far southwest of Mount Anak Krakatau, and is one of Indonesia's outermost islands.

Earlier, the wife of one of the journalists, Desi, had asked the SAR team to expand the search to Sertung Island. She suspected that her husband and his colleagues had planned to stop at the island, located west of Anak Krakatau. "I received information from the person guiding him... he asked, 'Can we stop at Sertung, can we get off at Sertung?' From that information, my feeling was that the search should go to Sertung," she said before Banten Governor Andra Soni and the head of the Banten SAR Office, Al Amrad, on Wednesday night, September 9.

The request emerged because the sea route from Carita to the Anak Krakatau area does pass several small islands in the Sunda Strait. However, until the SAR operation was closed, there was no sign of the vessel or its eight passengers. The victims' families then held a flower-scattering ceremony in the waters around Mount Anak Krakatau on Friday, September 18, as a final tribute.

The incident began when Speedboat Arupadhatu 1 departed from Carita Pier in Pandeglang on Monday, September 7, to cover the volcanic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau. The boat carried captain Warta (55), crew member Surakman (60), guide Heriyanto (49), and five journalists: M. Bagus Khoirunnas, Ari Basuki, Yudhis, Daus, and Donal. Last contact was detected near Sebesi Island before the boat was declared missing.

For Indonesia's media industry, this incident is a severe blow and a stark reminder that covering natural disasters in high-risk areas demands stricter safety protocols. Until now, coverage of volcanic eruptions has often been carried out with high mobility and minimal preparation, especially by freelance journalists. This event raises questions about the safety standards applied by newsrooms, transport service providers, and port authorities in permitting voyages in hazardous waters.

From a search-and-rescue perspective, the case also highlights the challenge of cross-regional coordination. The Sunda Strait lies at the intersection of three provinces—Banten, Lampung, and Bengkulu—so the SAR operation had to involve many parties. Nevertheless, the vast search area and dynamic sea currents meant the search faced significant limitations. The discovery of Surakman's body on Enggano, outside the initial estimate, shows how difficult it is to predict the movement of a vessel or victims in open waters.

"We will continue to examine this finding, including the possibility that other passengers were stranded in the same area," said the Banten Police Chief, signaling that the investigation has not stopped.

As of now, the other eight people have still not been found. The Banten Police said they will coordinate with Basarnas and local governments to monitor possible further findings along the west coast of Sumatra. Meanwhile, the victims' families hope for further clarity, especially regarding the exact chronology before the boat lost contact. Will the discovery of Surakman's body open the way for a new search, or rather close the hopes for the seven other passengers?