Bali sailors facing visa investigation

Two New Zealand sailors being held in Bali after a raid on their ship by Indonesian police are being investigated over their visa status.

Kenneth Brewster and Trevor Morris were on board the ex-freighter Lissa Avatiu, owned by Australian yachtsman Chris Packer, when police stopped it leaving Bali 12 days ago.

Police confiscated four rifles, a handgun and more than 2700 rounds of ammunition.

A second handgun was handed over when Packer, who has business ties to New Zealand and is a member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, showed police where it was stored.

Packer said the guns were for protection against pirates and he had carried them since Sir Peter Blake was murdered by pirates in Brazil in 2001.

He has been refused bail and is being held in jail. He has admitted failing to declare the guns and said an agent in Indonesia told him not to.

Packer's lawyer, M.H. Rifan, told the Herald that Indonesian authorities were now probing the crew members' visa status.

It appeared their visas expired on November 16 and they left Bali on November 19, he said.

Mr Rifan said Mr Brewster and Mr Morris remained on the Lissa while police continued their investigation.

They were being treated as witnesses in the firearms inquiry. Police were "co-ordinating" with immigration officials over their visa status.

They had not been charged and he expected they would be issued with new visas.

It was reported that Mr Morris has become engaged during the drama.

His Gold Coast-based girlfriend proposed via text message last week and he answered "yes" in a return message before police confiscated his cellphone.