Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy on Thursday deployed naval ship Parang-647 to tow a boat carrying more than 100 Rohingya refugees that was found adrift 53 nautical miles off Bireuen, Aceh, to Kreungkeukuh Port in Lhokseumawe city.
Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono instructed naval officers to tow the boat after the Indonesian government allowed the boat to disembark the refugees in Aceh on humanitarian grounds.
Navy Information Office head Commodore Julius Widjojono said that the navy ship began towing the boat at 6 a.m. local time (UTC +7) as the conditions of the high seas allowed the operation to proceed.
"The naval ship and the towed boat are expected to arrive at Kreungkeukuh Port, Lhokseumawe, at 6.30 p.m. local time," the commodore informed.
Kreungkeukuh Port has sufficient facilities, including healthcare facilities, to cater to the refugees who will disembark from the boat under the strict implementation of the health protocols, he said adding, the port is also located closer to the designated quarantine location.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs' deputy for public security and order coordination department, Police Inspector General Armed Wijaya, said that the government has allowed the boat to be towed to Aceh on humanitarian grounds.
"The health conditions and emergency situations faced by refugees on the boat were taken into account in the decision to allow them to disembark in Aceh," Wijaya added.
Based on visual observation, most of the passengers on the boat are women and children, he noted.
"Further documentation will reveal the exact number of the refugees because, at present, the ship is located around 50 miles off Bireuen, Aceh, and the towing process is ongoing," Wijaya stated.
The government will also enforce Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2016 on overseas refugees handling and coordinate with relevant parties to manage the Rohingya refugees, he added.
Upon arrival, the refugees will undergo a health screening and documentation process, the deputy added.
"The ministry's Foreign Refugees Task Force will coordinate with the regional authority, the military, the police, and relevant parties to ensure refugees get a place to stay, daily needs, and healthcare," Wijaya stated.
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