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May 12th, 2013 
Indonesian marine police officers guard asylum seekers who were caught in Indonesian waters while sailing to Australia, at Benoa port in Bali, today. Picture: AP
Source: AP
About 100 people, including women and children, are on board the boat at Benoa port in Bali. Picture: AP
Source: AP
INDONESIAN authorities have coaxed a number of asylum seekers from a boat in Bali’s main harbour, following a standoff which began when they were stopped as the vessel was leaving for Australia.
The standoff began on Sunday in Benoa Harbour, the main port from where holidaymakers depart on cruises around the resort island.
By late afternoon local time, about 20 of the more than 80 mostly Syrian and Afghan asylum seekers, including women and children, had agreed to disembark.
A spokesman with the Bali water police said negotiations were continuing, but that authorities were concerned about the potential for the situation to escalate.
”They were travelling to Australia looking for asylum,” a Bali police spokesman told AAP.
”There are many people on board and that’s why we also have to be very careful in evacuating them so that it shall not stir commotion.”
The group were headed for Christmas Island when they were intercepted by Indonesian marine police on patrol this morning.
Their vessel was taken to Benoa Harbour where the group refused to leave the cramped boat because they were to be arrested.
Indonesian immigration officials were waiting with buses and trucks to detain the asylum seekers with Indonesian police guarding the vessel.
Photographs showed women and children lying or sitting below deck.
Packets of two minute noodles were in boxes with the asylum seekers’ belongings in plastic and fabric bags.
The turn back of the boat has come as the number of asylum seekers reaching Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands continues at record pace.
In the first nine days of May 1548 people have arrived with almost 9000 so far this year.
April saw a record month of arrivals with 3369 people reaching Australia.
A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said Australian Customs and Border Protection had no information about the Bali vessel.
He said it was routine for Indonesian authorities to turn back asylum boats found in Indonesian waters.
The Australian government would likely get information about the vessel tomorrow, Mr Clare’s spokesman said.
– with AAP
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