The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/10/2009 5:16 PM
The Merauke High Court on Tuesday overturned a ruling that would have seen five Australians serve a maximum of three years in prison for violating Indonesian aviation and immigration laws.
According to their lawyer, Efrem Fangoihoy, the Merauke High Court had accepted the Australians' appeal because there was evidence the air crew and passengers had received verbal clearance to land.
"Based on a recorded conversation between the air crew and Mopah Merauke Airport air traffic control officials, it is clear the five were given verbal assurance to land," Fangoihoy said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.
He added that even if there was no prior written consent for the aircraft to enter Indonesian airspace, the government would only be able to deport the illegal entrants as opposed to holding them in detention.
The five Australians (two crew and three passengers) landed at Mopah Airport in Merauke on Sept. 13 without proper visas, flight approval or security clearance.
In September last year, the Merauke District Court had convicted pilot William Henry Scott Bloxam, co-pilot Vera Scott Bloxam and passengers Hubert Hofer, Karen Burke and Keith Rowald Mortimer, of having violated the 1992 aviation and immigration laws, offences that carry a maximum of six years in prison and Rp 30 million in fines. (amr)
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