By Jewel Topsfield and Amilia Rosa
The asylum seeker boat captain has spoken publicly for the first time, confirming he received a cash payment from an Australian official on the condition he never people smuggle again.
Yohanis Humiang said an Australian official called Agus paid him and five other crew members between $US6000 and $US5000 each after he begged for help to earn a living.
In an extensive interview, conducted in front of media by Nusa Tenggara Timur police chief Endang Sunjaya, Mr Yohanis claimed Agus initially promised to fly the crew back to Indonesia.
Instead, they were "shocked" to be told to take the 65 asylum seekers back on two small wooden boats, Jasmine and Kanak.
Captain Yohanis Humiang (left) looks on as head of the people smuggling division of Nusa Tenggara Timur, Ibrahim, Rote police chief Hidayat and East Nusa Tenggara Timur police chief General Endang Sunjaya count money in June.
Mr Yohanis said the boats were unseaworthy, had limited fuel, no toilets and no navigational system other than a GPS, which was "of no help because it won't tell reef conditions".
The interview took place under oath on Rote island on Wednesday.
Mr Yohanis also claimed the Australian authorities "didn't care" when one of the wooden boats, Jasmine, ran out of fuel on the way back to Indonesia.
"Panic ensued among the passengers onboard, it was like in an emergency situation, they were going to kill each other," Mr Yohanis said. "At the time I was scared: What to do?"
Police officers displaying six stacks of $US100 bills during a press conference by Nusa Tenggara Timur police chief Endang Sunjaya at Rote police station in June.
General Endang asked Mr Yohanis if the Australian Navy and customs ships were still there when Jasmine's engine stopped.
"They were in the back, they already said: 'OK you just head [to Rote Island]," Mr Yohanis said.
Head of the people smuggling division of Nusa Tenggara Timur, Ibrahim, left, Captain Yohanis Humiang, in blue shirt in centre, and Nusa Tenggara Timur police chief General Endang Sunjaya on right.
"So they ignored you?" General Endang asked.
"Yes, after we were let go, they don't care any more," Mr Yohanis said.
Mr Yohanis said he was offered 150 million rupiah ($AUD15,000) by a people smuggling agent to take 65 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar to New Zealand.
The Navy warship HMAS Wollongong and an Australian Customs ship intercepted the asylum seeker boat, the Andika, on about May 19.
Mr Yohanis told the Australian official, Agus, they had no right to stop the boat, which had just passed Timor Leste, because it was still in international waters.
"I said: 'Sir, our situation, we are trying to earn a living, as crew, we have nothing. If you take us, we don't have any money," Mr Yohanis said.
"At the time he [Agus] looked stumped, he said: 'We will save you from the [bad] weather.' But I said: 'We can still make it', because our journey would've taken us past Papua New Guinea borders."
He said Agus – whose "face shows he's Australian mixed with Indonesian" – interrogated him on board an Australian customs ship with the captain, after an identity check and full body search.
"We were interrogated: Who recruited us? Who was the agent?" Mr Yohanis said.
Mr Yohanis said the Australian officials promised to return the crew by plane, something he was inclined to acquiesce to after 15 tiring days at sea.
He told Agus he had no option if the Australian authorities insisted on taking them but they had no right to do so because the boat was on international waters.
"With that, I begged him: 'Sir, we are trying to earn a living, what can you help us with?' I also said: 'We need money to return to our wife and kids.' Agus said: 'OK, we will help.' I was going to be given $US6000, the crew $US5000."
After Mr Yohanis agreed to the deal, the Australian ships escorted the Andika to Greenhill Island in the Northern Territory.
On arrival, all the asylum seekers had their photos taken and identities recorded.
"Agus then came from the navy ship and told us, to our surprise, that we have to go back by boat to Indonesia," Mr Yohanis said. "We were very scared, some of the crew said they can't do it, and I said I can't work alone, I can't do it, we can't do it. But he said there's no other option, you have to go back. Mentally we were so helpless, we can't do anything else."
Mr Yohanis said the crew were paid and then the Andika was escorted to Pulau Pasir (Sand Island), the Indonesian name for Ashmore Reef.
They then spent a night on board the customs ship.
"It's like we were in jail. We can't go out, at all. In the morning, suddenly, unknowingly, we were told that we will be returning with the two wooden boats, Jasmine and Kanak."
When the Jasmine ran out of fuel, all 65 asylum seekers and six crew members transferred to the Kanak.
The Kanak was stranded on a reef off Landu island, West Rote, on May 31, and the asylum seekers were rescued and sheltered by villagers.