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Vietnamese, Indonesian patrol boats square off in Natuna waters
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A vessel caught fishing illegally in Natuna waters in Riau Islands is scuttled on Aug. 17, 2016. (POOL/Dokumentasi KKP)
I
ndonesian authorities released five Vietnamese vessels after a patrol boat belonging to the neighboring country intercepted in the arrest of the vessels for fishing illegally in Natuna waters in Riau Islands on Sunday, an official has confirmed.
“That’s true, we will give more details in a media conference tomorrow,” Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s director general of oceanic and fisheries resources surveillance (PSDKP), Eko Djalmo, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
The PSDKP reportedly arrested on Sunday morning five foreign fishing vessels flying Vietnamese flags that were equipped with gill nets, fishing equipment and 55 crew members.
When the PSDKP prepared to escort the vessels to its Batam base for processing, a Vietnamese patrol boat appeared. The patrol boat reportedly intercepted and rammed into one fishing vessels, which subsequently sank.
The Vietnamese patrol boat crew also reportedly apprehended a PSDKP crew member and asked that the fishing vessels and crews be released. Tension escalated in the afternoon when two Vietnamese navy ships arrived in Natuna waters.
Later in the afternoon, PSDKP patrol vessels returned to base without the arrested vessels. (mrc/hol)
