Indonesia calls off search for journalists missing while covering volcano eruption

JAKARTA, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Indonesian rescuers called off a search on its 10th day for eight people missing at sea, including five journalists who were covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau earlier this month.

Ash from Mount Anak Krakatau , situated halfway between Java and Sumatra islands, blanketed the capital Jakarta and some surrounding areas after its initial eruption late on September 4.

Photojournalists from local and foreign media organisations, including Turkey's Anadolu Agency, departed from Banten province on September 7 aboard a speedboat before losing contact, triggering a search-and-rescue operation.

Banten governor, Andra Soni, late on Thursday said the search was called off because rescuers have not found the missing people, adding it could be restarted if there were new leads.

The eruption led to the closure of eight airports for safety reasons, affecting more than 340,000 travellers.

Indonesia sits on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has 500 volcanoes , ​127 of which are active, according to its volcanology agency.