51�Թ�

Instead of inflating their boats in the dunes along the coast, close to police patrols, the gangs are launching them from better hidden locations, often dozens of kilometres from the main departure beaches.

One of Indonesia's most active volcanoes spewed a huge ash cloud more than 11 kilometres into the sky on Tuesday after officials issued the country's highest alert.

"Some of them sound really close. There's been direct hits within a couple of kilometres of us both over the past two nights."

As a government minister he had been ordered to drive hundreds of kilometres west and continue his work in a safer location.

The incident followed more than a kilometre of close racing between the team-mates, which McLaren have pledged to allow to continue this season.