The entire cabin crew was stopped after passengers tracked missing calls to the hotel where airline staff were staying. Michael Tjendra claimed it was stolen on June 6th at Garuda Indonesia Ga716 while traveling from Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, to Melbourne, Australia.
Tjendara said he moved his seat after takeoff and then went back to his old seat to find that the device was gone, he put his phone in the back seat pocket. He went to Instagram to detail the theft and shared a series of screenshots from the Find My iPhone feature. They showed that he followed the device to a location near the South Bank Promenade. Tjendara claimed the device was located near the Mercure Hotel, and it was believed that Garuda's crew was staying.
Tjendara said the phone signal was last tracked between 3:50pm and 4:40pm before the device appeared to be moving towards the Evan Walker Bridge.
The final discovery of my iPhone screenshot seemed to indicate that the device had been dropped into the Yarra River.
Tjendara has called on local businesses to share information and CCTV footage that will help them expose unknown burglars.
“Tag and share this story so that the right people can see it.”
In a statement issued on June 9, Garuda Indonesia's Director of Commercial and Cargo, Ade R. Susardi, confirmed that the crew on duty has been suspended.
“We are constantly communicating with the passengers involved and are committed to supporting him through the follow-up process,” he told the Indonesian Business Post.
Garuda Indonesia said representatives from the company have been sent to support Melbourne's Tjendara and to help submit police reports.
Susardi apologized for the incident on behalf of the airline and said, “When we received the report, we can confirm that all cabin crews were following standard operating and safety procedures.
Express contacted Garuda Indonesia for comments. He sent the following statement, translated using Google:
“The internal investigation of Garuda Indonesia was thoroughly conducted through intensive coordination with various related parties conducted on June 6-18, 2025. Based on the results of the investigation, there was no evidence of the involvement of Garuda Indonesia flight crews in connection with the loss of the problematic goods.
“As a form of commitment to ensuring passenger safety and comfort, Garuda Indonesia officially reported the incident to the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency. Furthermore, Garuda Indonesia is fully supportive of the investigation process and is ready to provide all parties with the information the police need to achieve a fair, objective and transparent legal process.
“We are also continuing to communicate with the passengers involved. Garuda Indonesia fully understands the public concerns regarding the incident, so we will ensure that all passengers are the basis for enhancing and developing quality of service.
“Through these various efforts, Garuda Indonesia is committed to continuing to maintain the safety, security and comfort aspects of all passengers in accordance with applicable flight operating standards and regulations.”
