Some of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers in a standoff on board an Australian ship anchored off Indonesia have left, after Australia offered a deal.
About 16 of 78 asylum seekers aboard the customs ship Oceanic Viking, which is anchored off Bintan Island, are being taken ashore by ferry to Tanjung Pinang.
From there, they will be taken to an Australian-funded detention centre, the ABC reports.
The government has promised them their claims will take no longer than three months to be processed.
After that, they can expect to be resettled in Australia if their asylum claims are supported by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
The ABC reports it has been told 30 have already been deemed to be refugees by UNHCR.
Others on board not yet deemed to be refugees have been promised resettlement if their claims are proven.
Australia had hoped New Zealand would take some Sri Lankan asylum seekers trying to reach Australia, but Prime Minister John Key has said it is unlikely.
