Bogor, W Java (ANTARA) - Five journalists and three boat personnel went missing in the Sunda Strait on Sept. 7 while covering Mount Anak Krakatau, prompting ANTARA staff to push for stronger newsroom safety training and protections.
The group set out to cover the volcano on Sept. 7, 2026. By afternoon, their boat had gone silent.
The group included Muhammad Bagus Khoirunnas of ANTARA, Ari Basuki of Merdeka.com, Yudistiro Pranoto of iNEWS, Firdaus Wajidi of Anadolu Agency, freelance journalist Donal Husni, boat captain Warta, crew member Surakman and guide Heriyanto.
The disappearance drew national and international attention. That evening, President Prabowo Subianto ordered Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Muhammad Ali to launch an immediate search for the eight.
Condolences and expressions of concern came from across Indonesia and abroad.
Banten Police Chief Insp. Gen. Hengki visited a National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) post, where Bagus's wife was also present.
Russian Ambassador Sergei Tolchenov sent a letter of sympathy and support for Bagus's family, addressed to Benny Siga Butarbutar, then head of state news agency ANTARA.
Saudi Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Al Amoudi offered prayers for the safe return of the five Indonesian journalists and three boat personnel.
Heroes of the press
ANTARA colleagues organized collective prayers. On Sept. 21, hundreds of journalists in Kalianda, South Lampung District, Lampung Province, gathered at Pancasila Monument, lit 1,000 candles, prayed and reflected.
The joint search ended Sept. 17 without finding the group. Days later, the gatherings and messages of solidarity raised a harder question: how can newsrooms better protect journalists sent into danger?
The Press Council called the five missing journalists heroes of the press. It said the case underscored the need for journalists to coordinate with government officials and local authorities before entering dangerous areas.
Press Council Chairman Komarudin Hidayat said the journalists risked themselves in pursuit of the best images for the public.
Their work, he said, deserved recognition rather than being taken for granted.
"We enjoy photographs but sometimes forget the struggle behind them. This tragedy has made us realize how much effort and sacrifice it takes to capture the best images," Komarudin said on Sept. 21.
He urged news organizations planning coverage in dangerous areas to coordinate with local authorities, saying preparation and communication must be part of the assignment, not an afterthought.
"Media management must also pay close attention to these assignments. When a tragedy like this occurs, the company and its leadership must give special attention to the families left behind," he said.
Turning grief into support
For ANTARA, the message was a call to turn public grief into sustained support for colleagues and families affected.
That began with remembrance and continued with practical training.
On Sept. 21, then-ANTARA News Director Virgandhi Prayudantoro inaugurated the Bagus Khoirunnas Meeting Room at the agency's Banten bureau, commemorating the photojournalist and preserving the memory of his work.
Virgandhi said the dedication showed ANTARA's commitment to Bagus's family.
"We are here today to express our support for M. Bagus's family and honor his dedication during eight years of work and contributions to ANTARA's Banten bureau," he said.
Yet a memorial alone could not address the risks journalists face covering disasters, volcanic activity, conflict and other dangerous assignments.
The tragedy renewed calls to make occupational safety central to newsroom practice.
From the first day the group went missing, journalist safety was discussed constructively in the official WhatsApp group of the ANTARA Workers' Union.
Safety training
Exchanges among union leaders and members led to a fundraising drive for Bagus’s family and a workshop, “Basic Field Safety Training for Journalists,” to turn concern into practical preparation.
Held on Saturday, Oct. 17, exactly 40 days after the group lost contact, the training drew about 20 participants, including Bagus’s colleagues in photojournalism, reporting, social media and video production.
Supported by Perum LKBN ANTARA management, the workshop took place at the Mochtar Lubis Room of ANTARA Heritage Center in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta. ANTARA staff and a Basarnas instructor led the sessions.
ANTARA Finance Director Aria Bimo Setyo Pramono discussed social protection for journalists, while Basarnas instructor Zaldy Ananda Nala covered safety, field skills and coordination with search-and-rescue operations.
ANTARA photojournalist Muhammad Adimaja discussed preparing for assignments in dangerous areas and conflict zones, focusing on decisions reporters must make before and during fieldwork.
In his presentation, “A Basic Guide to Journalist Safety,” Adimaja outlined essential steps, from pre-departure planning to conduct on arrival.
“Before departing for an assignment in a dangerous area, you must be physically, mentally and logistically prepared. Gather information, assess risks, choose trusted fixers and contacts, and establish security and communication procedures,” he said.
He also reviewed equipment for high-risk assignments and approaches to demonstrations and riots, stressing that sound judgment and communication are as important as gear.
“While the situation is still calm, introduce yourself to demonstrators and their leaders, then ask about their demands. They will generally be less hostile if you have spoken with them beforehand,” he said.
Adimaja advised journalists to identify themselves to police early, work in pairs or groups, identify escape routes and build relationships with shopkeepers and residents who could provide temporary shelter if violence erupted.
Participants welcomed the training. M. Arief Iskandar said it helped reporters prepare for high-risk assignments and understand their company’s responsibilities.
Della Savira said the workshop equipped ANTARA journalists for risky coverage, including disasters and protests, and gave participants a chance to contribute during discussions.
No story is worth a life
ANTARA Workers' Union Chairman Abdul Gofur said the workshop showed why media organizations must set clear safety standards for journalists assigned to disasters and other high-risk locations.
"It is time for ANTARA to establish standard operating procedures that can be implemented in practice, supported by internationally standardized safety equipment at both our headquarters and regional bureaus," Gofur said.
He added that journalists must also take responsibility for their own safety, acquire basic survival skills and understand the levels of risk they may face in the field.
Gofur welcomed management's willingness to improve protections for stringers, who are not salaried employees.
The union recommended enrollment in BPJS Health and BPJS Employment, plus higher insurance for high-risk assignments.
"We hope these recommendations lead to an ANTARA trauma unit or crisis center, so journalists who experience trauma, intimidation or sexual harassment while reporting do not feel alone," he said.
The workshop was initiated by the ANTARA Workers' Union with support from Perum LKBN ANTARA management.
It marked an early step toward making journalist protection an institutional responsibility.
Journalism has long embraced a simple principle: no story is worth a life. For reporters covering conflict, disasters and other risks, safety must come before the pursuit of an image, quote or headline.That principle cannot rest on individual courage alone. It must be backed by training, equipment, insurance, clear protocols and sustained support from the media organizations that send journalists into the field.
*Rahmad Nasution is a journalist at the ANTARA News Agency
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the ANTARA News Agency.
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