Indonesian authorities continued search and rescue operations Wednesday for eight people who went missing at sea near the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano. The group, consisting of five journalists, two crew members, and one guide, had set out by speedboat from Carita, a coastal town in Banten province, on Monday to report on the volcanic activity.

The Anak Krakatau volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, initially erupted for approximately 25 hours over the weekend. Since then, it has maintained intermittent eruptions with explosions ejecting lava, ash, and incandescent volcanic material. The activity has caused significant disruption to air travel in Indonesia, resulting in the closure of several airports and stranding tens of thousands of people on the islands of Java and Sumatra.

The missing journalists include employees from Indonesia’s state news agency Antara, Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, Indonesian media outlets Merdeka and iNews, as well as a freelance photographer. Alongside them were the boat’s captain, a crew member, and a route guide. The last known communication from the group was received at 6:13 p.m. on Monday, when a journalist aboard the vessel informed relatives that they had reached the waters near Anak Krakatau, approximately 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) from shore. No further contact has been made since.

Officials from Banten province’s Search and Rescue Office and Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency have been involved in the ongoing efforts to locate the missing individuals. Despite deploying teams and resources since Tuesday, rescuers have yet to establish contact with the group or determine their whereabouts.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance remain unclear. Authorities are continuing to monitor volcanic activity and sea conditions in the vicinity as they conduct the search. The fate of the journalists and crew remains unknown as efforts persist amid the challenging and hazardous environment near the active volcano.