§ 7. Mr. Croninasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which H.M.S. "Barbain" was intercepted in Indonesian waters by units of the Indonesian navy, boarded by armed Indonesian sailors and compelled to withdraw on 25th December, 1963.
§ Mr. HayH.M.S. "Barbain" was sent on 24th December to the assistance of the Indian steamer s.s. "Mohammedi" which had been stranded on the Nipa Reef, in Indonesian waters to the east of Singapore. The Singapore agents of the firm owning the vessel had asked for assistance, and the Indonesian authorities had been approached for permission to undertake a salvage operation in Indonesia's territorial sea. Permission was not granted, and H.M.S. "Barbain" complied with a request from an Indonesian naval unit to leave Indonesian waters. H.M.S. "Barbain" was not at any time boarded by the Indonesians: a British officer went on board the Indonesian ship for discussion.