Indonesia to tow stranded migrant boat out to sea
Jakarta - The Indonesian navy was preparing to tow a boat carrying 44 Australia-bound Sri Lankan migrants out to sea Friday after engine trouble forced the vessel to moor off the coast of Aceh province for six days.
Police fired a warning shot late Thursday to stop some of the undocumented migrants who were angry that their trip to Australia had been delayed from getting off the boat, according to a local witness.
"They will be sent back to sea because the boat has been fixed. They have been given enough food and fuel," said Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah, who described the Sri Lankans as "economic migrants."
The migrants, from the Tamil ethnic group, were stranded off the coast of Lhoknga near the provincial capital Banda Aceh after the vessel experienced engine trouble on Saturday on their way to Australia, according to Banda Aceh immigration chief Herry Sudiarto.
The engine was fixed on Sunday with the help of Indonesians and the boat then left to continue its journey to Australia after Indonesian authorities gave them food and fuel, Sudiarto said.
But the boat returned on Sunday night and the crew asked for more fuel.
- DPA
