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Asylum seekers detained in Merauke
Nine asylum seekers from Sudan are in custody at the Merauke Immigration Office after they were picked up by the Indonesian Navy in Merauke, Papua, on Monday
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ine asylum seekers from Sudan are in custody at the Merauke Immigration Office after they were picked up by the Indonesian Navy in Merauke, Papua, on Monday.
'The nine Sudanese citizens are currently being held in the office's quarantine facility,' Merauke Immigration Office chief Zul Sianturi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
It remains unclear how the Sudanese citizens arrived in Merauke because they have lost all their documents.
'They said the documents were lost when their boat sank,' said Zul.
He said the illegal immigrants would be deported. 'We don't know when they will be deported as they are still in quarantine,' he said.
Merauke Navy base commander Brig. Gen. Heri Setiadi told reporters in Merauke on Monday that nine Sudanese citizens reported to the navy's observation post on Aug.14 after their boat sank in Torasi waters.
He said the illegal immigrants were en route to Australia to seek asylum when their speedboat sank in waters off Blego Island in Papua New Guinea.
According to the detainees, the boat had 23 passengers. "However, the remaining 14 passengers are still missing," said Heri. (hrl/ebf)
