Twelve Australians have been trapped on their boat at an Indonesian port for a second day, blocked from disembarking their surf charter over coronavirus fears.
The surfers have been forced into lockdown in Sumba since Saturday morning, despite clearing screening before their 10-day venture and showing no signs of illness.
The men, most of them from Newcastle, told 9News a doctor visited their vessel at Sumba’s Waingapu port but rather than assess them instead said they wouldn’t be allowed on land.
“Seven days ago while we were out at sea on the boat with no service, no reception, the Bupati – which is the local government for the area – passed a bill which said they would not be accepting foreigners to come on land,” Brydon Roper said.
The boat’s captain had planned to attempt sailing to another port in Sumba but received word disembarking would be banned there as well.
They’ll now use the last of their fuel to travel to the island of Flores on Sunday night, but there are no guarantees they’ll be accepted there either.
“We’ve all missed our flight back to Bali and half of us back to Australia,” Mr Roper said.
“We’ve had one boat come out to speak to us to basically tell us we can’t come to land.”
“This is a ten-day surf charter so the guys that run this boat stocked it for ten days only of food and water.”
After 9News revealed the Australians had been left in limbo, food and water was delivered to their boat.
“The Australian Consulate-General in Bali is in close contact with Indonesian authorities to resolve the situation, including by trying to find a port at which the boat can dock and the passengers disembark,” a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said.
“We have also sought and received assurances that the boat will have adequate fuel and food supplies.”
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