ID :
19551
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 13:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/19551
The shortlink copeid
AUSTRALIA ADMITS FIVE CITIZENS ENTER PAPUA WITHOUT DOCUMENTS
Brisbane, Sept14 (ANTARA) - The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade admitted that five Australian citizens had been held in Merauke, Papua, for having entered the Indonesian territory without proper travel documents.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Sunday the five Australians including two women arrived in Merauke aboard a small plane on Friday morning.
The DFAT as quoted by the ABC stated that the Australians had been arrested because they held no flight, security and immigration permits. They are now still under the supervision of the Indonesian authorities pending the issuance of the permits.
The Australian embassy in Jakarta has given consulair assistance to the five who arrived in Papua from the Horn island off Cape York, which is an hour flight away.
The five Australians who arrived aboard a small V-68 plane did not have a visa for entering Indonesia, according to ANTARA reporter in Jayapura.
The chief of the Merauke air base, Lt Col M Somin, said he had only dealt with the case of a plane that had entered without permit.
"The plane did not carry a permit and moreover it is a foreign aircraft," he said.
He said his side still continued investigating the case including whether their motive was mere tourism.
He said the plane with flight code VH-PFP also did not have a flight approval and a security clearance.
The five Australians are William Hendry Scott Bloxam who was the pilot, Vera Scott Bloxam, the co-pilot, Hubert Hofer, Karen Burke and Ket Rowald Mortimer who were all passengers.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Sunday the five Australians including two women arrived in Merauke aboard a small plane on Friday morning.
The DFAT as quoted by the ABC stated that the Australians had been arrested because they held no flight, security and immigration permits. They are now still under the supervision of the Indonesian authorities pending the issuance of the permits.
The Australian embassy in Jakarta has given consulair assistance to the five who arrived in Papua from the Horn island off Cape York, which is an hour flight away.
The five Australians who arrived aboard a small V-68 plane did not have a visa for entering Indonesia, according to ANTARA reporter in Jayapura.
The chief of the Merauke air base, Lt Col M Somin, said he had only dealt with the case of a plane that had entered without permit.
"The plane did not carry a permit and moreover it is a foreign aircraft," he said.
He said his side still continued investigating the case including whether their motive was mere tourism.
He said the plane with flight code VH-PFP also did not have a flight approval and a security clearance.
The five Australians are William Hendry Scott Bloxam who was the pilot, Vera Scott Bloxam, the co-pilot, Hubert Hofer, Karen Burke and Ket Rowald Mortimer who were all passengers.
