The families of two Australian drug smugglers  today made the torturous journey to Indonesia's notorious 'Death Island' to say their final goodbyes before the pair are executed by firing squad. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were convicted of being ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine, who were arrested at the  island's airport for trying to smuggle 8kg of heroin to Australia. They have been on death row since 2005 and have now been transferred to Nusakambangan island where they are expected to be executed this week. Chan's mother Helen and brother Michael were today pictured at Yogyakarta airport as they made their way to the island via boat from Cilacap in central Java. They were accompanied by Sukumaran's mother Raji and sister Brintha, although it is not known whether they will be allowed to see the men as hoped tomorrow when visits are usually banned. Scroll down for videos . The family of condemned Australian drug smuggler Andrew Chan, his mother Helen (centre) and brother Michael (wearing pink shorts) arrive at Yogyakarta airport on Thursday to make the five-hour drive to Cilacap in central Java and take a boat to Nusakambangan island where Chan is waiting to be executed . Myuran Sukumaran's mother Raji (right) and sister Brintha (centre) on the tarmac at Yogyakarta, the closest main airport to the port town of Cilacap to which they will drive on Thursday afternoon . Close friend Matius Arif Mirdjaja tried to visit Chan and Sukuraman on the island of Nusakambangan . Close friend Matius Arif Mirdjaja - who Chan considers family - told Daily Mail Australia that prison officers would not allow him to see the Australians when he went to Nusakambangan today. Earlier, a 'chilling' picture emerged of an Indonesian police chief posing with a smile on his face next to Chan on the flight to the island. In the photograph, Djoko Hariutomo, the police chief of the Balinese capital of Denpasar, grins as he stands with his hand on the shoulder of the convicted drug smuggler. In another picture, Hariutomo is seen with his hand on the shoulder of another condemned Australian, Myuran Sukumaran, on the same flight who gazed up at him as the camera flashed. Amnesty’s UK Director Kate Allen described the images as disturbing. She told MailOnline: 'The pictures of guards smiling while escorting their prisoners to Indonesia’s so-called "Execution Island" are chilling.' A smiling Djoko Hariutomo, the police commissioner of the Balinese capital of Denpasar, poses for a photo with his hand on the shoulder of condemned prisoner Andrew Chan on a plane taking him to 'Death Island' Surrounded by armed police officers officers and on the road of no return, 33-year-old Australia Myuran Sukumaran looks up at Bali police commissioner Djoko Hariutomo who posed with the two condemned Australians before their take off from Denpasar airport for the two hour flight . The planned executions of Sukumaran, 33, and Chan, 31, have caused diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia to fray. The pair are among a group of up to 11 convicts, mostly foreigners, due to be executed on the prison island of Nusakambangan. Chan and Sukumaran were convicted in 2005 as the ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine, who were arrested at the holiday island's main airport for trying to smuggle 8kg (18lb) of heroin to Australia. The seven other members of the gang, all Australians, have been jailed in Indonesia. On Thursday, Indonesia rejected an Australian proposal for a prisoner swap made in an 11th hour effort to save the lives of Sukumaran and Chan. Indonesia's foreign ministry said there was no legal basis for Indonesia to act on the proposal that had been made by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Last place on earth: This is Nirbaya, also known as 'Death Valley', the place where Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will likely be taken for their executions and located up a winding dirt track around 3km from the prison where they are being held in isolation cells . 'Basically Indonesia does not have any regulation or legal framework regarding a prisoner swap,' said Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir. 'This idea was put forward to our minister two days ago and we told them then.' Australian politicians held a candlelight dawn vigil outside parliament house in support of the men early on Thursday, when Bishop said she had spoken to Indonesia's foreign minister earlier this week. 'I raised the fact that there were Indonesian prisoners in Australian jails and whether there was an opportunity for us to consider a prisoner swap, a prisoner transfer or a clemency plea in exchange for a return of prisoners,' Bishop said. 'I just asked for a pause in their preparations for the execution of Mr Sukumaran and Mr Chan so that we could have officials explore these ideas,' she told Sky News Australia. Australia does not have the death penalty and a recent survey by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank showed nearly two-thirds of the public disapproved of the executions. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he had asked to speak again with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday. This is the spot to which the Indonesians took five foreign drug smugglers this year, tied them to three metre poles and executed them each with 12-member firing squads at around 12.40am local time  on Sunday, January 18 . It is not known how the prisoners will be transported to Nirbaya valley, as it lies down a narrow dirt track (above) amid dense vegetation in the middle of Nusakambangan Island off southern central Java . In an interview with Al Jazeera, Widodo said the men would be executed soon, but not this week. 'I am still convinced that the justice system in Indonesia, if you look at drug crime, is valid and based on facts and evidence,' he said. 'That's why when I rejected their clemency, I looked at their cases, how many drugs they were carrying.' Indonesia is expected to decide on the date for the executions in a few days, said Tony Spontana, spokesman for the attorney general's office. Widodo has adopted a tough stance against drug traffickers and others on death row, denying clemency appeals. Executions resumed in 2013 after a five-year gap and nationals from Brazil, Malawi, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Vietnam have been among those put in front of a firing squad. Meanwhile, an old school friend has revealed Andrew Chan never thought his impending execution would actually happen. The friend, who has known Chan since they met in Year 7 at Homebush Boys High in Sydney's west, told 9News the Bali Nine ringleader was calm when they spoke through text messaging application, Whatsapp. This weather beaten hut in Nirbaya or Death Valley sits near the sport where foreign drug smugglers were executed in January and where the Australian Bali Nine duo may be taken soon and put to the firing squad . Final journey: The jungle and rainforest of Nuskambangan prison island looms over the Barracuda armoured personnel van carrying Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran as they arrive off the police boat on Wednesday following their final plane flight, from Bali to Cilacap in southern Java . 'Even he thought it was never going to happen because he thought we're in the limelight - it'll cool down, it'll be alright,' Sami said. 'So I always said, 'yeah mate, definitely - you're in good hands'.' At least once during their exchange, Chan texted him 'all good bro'. Sami added Chan kept positive throughout the ordeal and said: 'I think he [Chan] was really expecting the Australian government to do a lot more.' The spot where the executions are due to take place is called Nirbaya, and it's located in a high spot amid the dense vegetation which runs along the spine of Nusakambangan. Situated quite high up amid hills in the island's centre, Nirbaya was also the place where the Bali bombers, Amrozi, Ali Gufron and Imam Samudra were executed in 2008, six years after they carried out the nightclub bombings which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians and 27 Britons. A school friend of Chan's (left), who went to Homebush Boys High with him (Chan pictured right as a student), told 9News the Australian had been calm and stayed positive up until yesterday about his impending execution . Sami and Chan had been exchanging text messages on Whatsapp (pictured) up until Tuesday night . At the top of the hills surrounding Nirbaya, it is reportedly quite windy but offers a view of the Indian Ocean to the south. The lead up to execution in 'Death Valley' has been well documented. Under the implementation of death penalty procedures set in Indonesia's criminal act of 1964, the condemned prisoner is informed in their isolation cell at least 72 hours prior to the execution that it will be carried out. They are reportedly allowed three 'last requests' but these may only be in the form of final statements, such as that from Ms Andriani who wrote, 'Submission does not mean give up. Do the best, God will finish the rest'. Dressed in simple, white clothing, they are accompanied by a physician, clergy and an 'execution attorney' and taken to the clearing where a firing squad of 12 shooters is assembled for each prisoner. Shackled and handcuffed, Andrew Chan cut a sad figure as he was escorted by four faceless Indonesian police officers across the tarmac after being taken from Korobokan prison in Bali to their final destination, Death Island . Utter despair is etched on the face of condemned prisoner, Myuran Sukumaran, as he arrived at Cilacap airport in central Java, Indonesia, only 700km by plane but a world away from the comparative freedom of his art workshops inside Kerobokan prison on the island of Bali . This is the exterior of Batu prison on Nuskambangan island where special isolation cells away from non death row prisoners were prepared to hold Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran ahead of their scheduled execution by firing squad . In the case of Nirbaya, the journey will be up a steep winding dirt track through trees and undergrowth. At a clearing, three metre high execution poles have been erected at separate spots for each prisoner. When the prisoners arrive and the firing squad is ready, the condemned person is asked whether they choose to be blindfolded and whether they want to be standing, sitting or kneeling for their execution. A black cross is marked over their heart and they are given three minutes to 'calm down' before the execution takes place. Although a clergyman of the prisoner's choice is meant to be allowed to take their last rites, Brazilian Marco Archer was reportedly denied access to Cilacap's Catholic priest Charles Burrows and was so stressed in his last hours he said that he wanted to die sooner, but eventually had to be dragged bodily from his cell for transport to Nirbaya.
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran due to be executed by firing squad . Chan and Sukumaran were found guilty of heroin smuggling in 2005 . They were found to be the ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine . Bali police chief  Djoko Hariutomo pictured grinning on a plane with them . The flight was taking them to Indonesia's 'death island'
Amnesty UK's Director described the photographs as 'chilling'
Australian politicians held a candlelight dawn vigil for them . Prime Minister Tony Abbott intervened to try and save the pair .