The head of the local search and rescue agency, Al Amrad, said in a statement the boat carried five journalists, two crew members and a guide.
He was also quoted by broadcaster Kompas TV as saying that the search had been halted for the day, and would resume on Wednesday morning.
Antara news agency confirmed its photographer, Muhammad Bagus Khoirunas, was one of the passengers on the missing boat.
The agency said it was coordinating with authorities to seek more information, but it was informed by the police that the search was hampered by high waves and poor visibility.
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago, due in part to lax safety standards and inclement weather.
In January, three Spanish tourists died when their boat sank off eastern Indonesia, and a 10-year-old boy was listed as officially missing, presumed dead, after authorities ended the search.
