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Australian navy sacks commanding officer involved in incursion into Indonesian waters

PERTH — The chief of the Australian navy has sacked a senior commanding officer involved in one of a series of incursions into Indonesian waters.

PERTH — The chief of the Australian navy has sacked a senior commanding officer involved in one of a series of incursions into Indonesian waters.

Vice-Admiral Ray Griggs yesterday announced that a commanding officer would be removed from command and another administratively sanctioned in relation to the incursions, which had occurred in December and January.

“Each of the commanding officers conducted these activities with the best of intent. However, I expect nothing but the highest standards of those in command,” Vice-Admiral Griggs said.

“These actions are not punitive in nature, but are aimed solely at upholding the professional standards that the Royal Australian Navy is renowned for and that are necessary for it to undertake its mission.”

The announcement came on the same day Guardian Australia revealed that one of the Australian customs vessels involved in the incursions went far deeper into Indonesian waters than had previously been disclosed. It is not known whether the sacking of the commanding officer was connected to Guardian Australia’s report.

The Ocean Protector had entered Indonesia’s internal waters on Jan 14 in Pelabuhan Ratu bay, as shown by a digital navigational map from the vessel, seen and published by Guardian Australia. The ship had reached 9km inside the country’s territorial seas and was only 27km from Indonesia’s shore.

Archipelagic states have territorial waters that extend 12 nautical miles from a state’s baselines. The water inside those baselines is described as the state’s internal waters.

The digital map that Guardian Australia published showed the Ocean Protector crossing a red line that marks the baseline across the bay, based on historical data.

The redacted version of the classified report of the review into the incursions, obtained by the Australian Associated Press under freedom of information laws, said: “Entry to Indonesian waters was inadvertent, arising from miscalculation of the maritime boundaries, in that the calculation did not take into account archipelagic baselines.”

Crucially, the report added: “Territorial seas declared by foreign nations are generally not depicted on Australian hydrographic charts.”

However, the digital map from the Ocean Protector casts doubt on these findings and clearly showed the ship crossing the baseline and entering Indonesia’s internal waters past the headlands of Pelabuhan Ratu bay.

Indonesia’s territorial seas are 12 nautical miles further out from where the baseline is marked in red. It is not known whether the digital mapping device was operational at the time the vessel entered Indonesian waters.

A spokesman for Australian Customs and Border Protection Service said: “No evidence presented to the review indicated officers on the ACV Ocean Protector knew the correct location of archipelagic baselines. The review found substantial evidence indicating that the calculations used by the crews to determine the position of Indonesian archipelagic baselines were incorrect.

“The review recommended further, more detailed investigations be undertaken, including into professional conduct. These investigations are currently under way. As a consequence, it would be inappropriate to respond to the questions forwarded.” THE GUARDIAN

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