Police Confirm Body in Mukomuko Is Not KM Arupadatu I Crew, Identity Revealed
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- Jenazah tanpa identitas yang ditemukan di perairan Mukomuko dipastikan warga setempat, bukan bagian dari rombongan jurnalis yang hilang di Selat Sunda.
- Korban adalah Endar Permana (16), pelajar asal Desa Ranah Karya, Mukomuko; penyebab kematian masih diselidiki polisi.
- Temuan ini berbeda dari jenazah di Pulau Enggano yang telah diidentifikasi sebagai Surakman, kru KM Arupadatu I, kapal yang membawa jurnalis hilang kontak sejak 7 September.
The Mukomuko Resort Police have confirmed that an unidentified body found in the waters off Lubuk Sanai Village, Koto Jaya District, Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu, on Thursday (24/9) morning was not part of the group of journalists reported missing in the Sunda Strait. The confirmation came after an identification process revealed the victim was a local resident.
Mukomuko Police Chief AKBP Riky Crisma Wardana said the body had been recognized by the family. "A local resident of Mukomuko Regency. Yes, it has been confirmed because the family has come forward," he said when contacted on Thursday (24/9). The victim was identified as Endar Permana, 16, a student who lived in Ranah Karya Village, Lubuk Pinang District, Mukomuko Regency.
The discovery of the body began with a report from local residents at around 08.20 WIB. The body was then taken to Mukomuko Hospital for further identification. Although the identity has been confirmed, Riky stressed that the cause of the teenager's death is still under police investigation. To date, there has been no official statement on the exact cause of death.
The case has emerged amid public attention on the disappearance of the fast boat KM Arupadatu I, which was carrying a number of journalists in the waters of the Sunda Strait, Pandeglang, on Monday (7/9). Earlier, Basarnas Bengkulu received a report of an unidentified body found on the coast of Sawang Bengkok, Khayapu Village, Enggano Island, North Bengkulu Regency, on Saturday (12/9). The body was evacuated by a Susi Air aircraft from Enggano Airport to Fatmawati Soekarno Airport on Monday (14/9) at 07.58 WIB, accompanied by two police officers for an autopsy.
According to the Banten Regional Police, DNA matching with antemortem samples confirmed that the body on Enggano Island was identical to Surakman or Sukarman (60), one of the crew members of KM Arupadatu I. The finding was the first breakthrough in the search for the boat, which lost contact on 7 September, although the fate of the other journalists has not been fully established.
The difference in location and time of the discovery of the two bodies highlights the complexity of search and identification operations in the waters west of Sumatra. Sea currents and weather conditions often complicate evacuation, so bodies can drift far from the point where the boat disappeared. Police and Basarnas continue to coordinate to map other findings that may still be stranded along the coast.
For the Indonesian public, especially the victims' families and those following the case, certainty of identity is a crucial first step. Forensic identification, including DNA matching, is standard procedure in handling maritime disasters. The speed and accuracy of identification not only help families gain certainty but also prevent speculation that could inflame the situation.
Going forward, attention will focus on the investigation into the cause of Endar Permana's death and the continuation of the search for the missing victims of KM Arupadatu I. Will the discovery of the body in Mukomuko open new clues about current dynamics in the Sunda Strait, or will it prove to be a separate case requiring its own handling? The public awaits transparency and updates from the relevant authorities.
