Fourth American Diver Escapes From Indonesia

A fourth American held on an Indonesian island for more than two months has escaped to join his three comrades in California, one of six diving enthusiasts still detained said Friday.

Peter Howes, in a telephone interview from Tanjung Pinang on Bintan Island, 60 miles south of Singapore, said, “I’ve no idea how he got out.”

He speculated that Jim Vorus, 46, of Santa Monica, followed his three comrades, who Sunday stole a fishing boat for a daring 72-hour dash across the Malacca Straits to Singapore, where they were assisted by the U.S. Embassy.

Vorus and nine others on a diving vacation were arrested at gunpoint March 22 in an area believed to hold the wrecks of at least six 18th-Century galleons.

All were accused of illegally entering Indonesia’s 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone in a boat equipped for treasure hunting.

But only six--San Francisco-born twins Bob and Bruce Lanham, Briton Mark Tomlinson, Howes and two other Australians--were in court Thursday where presiding Judge Munsiri Sarkawai dismissed all charges against the 10 and gave the prosecution one week to file an appeal.

“If there is an appeal it will have to be on different charges, so we are pretty confident of getting out of here soon,” said Howes, an electrical technician.

He said that the Lanham twins had abandoned a 10-day hunger strike now that prospects of an early release have brightened.

Howes said Australian Consulate officials warned that they would return him to Indonesia if he fled.

“We stayed and we’ve won,” he said. “We’re just innocent scuba enthusiasts on holiday, not professional divers hunting for treasure.”