Jakarta (VOI News) - The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Santiago, Chile, facilitates the repatriation of 31 Indonesian crew members who had been stranded in Chile since the country's government imposed a COVID-19 disaster emergency status on March 19, 2020. Muhammad Ramdhan, First Secretary of the Indonesian Embassy in Santiago, Chile, through a short message to Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta, Wednesday evening (04/06), said that the Indonesian Embassy in Santiago provides assistance to ensure all crew members have the required documents and are aware of the health protocol information upon arrival in Indonesia. He added, the repatriation of the 31 cre members is carried out in 2 phases, namely on 2 June and 9 June 2020.
"Of the 2 phases, the first phase departed from Chile on June 2 with the route Santiago, Sao Paulo Brazil, Doha Qatar then to Jakarta. The 2nd phase wave will depart from Chile on 9 June and arrive on 11 June. There are 31 Indonesian crew members from 6 ships who have been stranded in the working area of the Indonesian Embassy in Santiago. Of the 31 crew members, the majority have already completed their working contracts, but there are 2 Indonesian crew members we handle because they had working accident," said Muhammad Ramdhan.
Muhammad Ramdhan further said that the first phase departing from Chile on June 2 consisted of 14 crew and landed in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon (04/06), while the second phase consisted of 17 crew members. While stranded in Chile, according to Muhammad Ramdhan, the Indonesian Embassy in Santiago also sent aid in the form of basic necessities and sanitary equipment such as hand sanitizers, masks and gloves for the crew members. (VOI / ADVENT/AHM)