Batam Navy patrol detains foreign ship, crew

Batam Navy patrol detains foreign ship, crew

The Jakarta Post, Batam

A Batam Navy patrol boat apprehended Singaporean MV Bourbon
Aladin ship and its 65-member crew on Wednesday for entering
Indonesian waters without the required documents.

The arrest was made in Nipah Island waters, Riau Island
province, which is rarely frequented by large ships.

Batam Navy Commander Col. Djoko Harijanto said the ship's
captain was unable to produce the proper documents for entering
the country.

"This is the first group of foreigners this year to come to
Batam without the proper documents," Djoko said.

Of the 65 crew members, 16 of them are Singaporeans, 24
Indians, 13 Bangladeshis, three Malaysians, two Myanmarese, two
French, two Norwegians, one Filipino, one Chinese and one Sri
Lankan.

Djoko said the ship's captain claimed that the crew had wanted
to test the ship's engine and were not aware that they had
entered Indonesian waters. However, the Navy was suspicious
considering the large crew onboard.

The ship is being detained near Batu Ampar Port in Batam.
"Foreigners entering Indonesia without proper documents will be
handed over to Batam immigration, it's their authority. But in
the meantime, we've detained them," Djoko said.