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55 Vietnamese detainees to be repatriated from Natuna
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Sunken: A foreign-flagged vessel that illegally fished in Indonesian territories is sunken in Natuna waters, Riau Islands, on Aug. 17, 2016. (POOL/Dokumentasi KKP)
T
he Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and the Tarempa Naval Base in Natuna, Riau Islands, is set to repatriate 55 Vietnamese citizens who had been detained since May over alleged illegal fishing in the area.
The Immigration Office is set to deport the 55 Vietnamese nationals on Friday, after they arrive at the ministry’s Fisheries and Maritime Resources Monitoring Directorate (PSDKP) office in Batam.
Tarempa Navy commander Lt. Col. Johan Wahyudi said 34 out of the 55 Vietnamese citizens were apprehended in security operations conducted by the naval base while 21 others were arrested by the PSDKP.
Johan said the deportation processes were conducted using two fishery patrol vessels—KP Paus 01 and KP Hiu Macan 05—which departed from Antang Port in Natuna to Batam on Wednesday.
He said KP Paus 01 carried 33 Vietnamese detainees while KP Hiu Macam 05 carried 22 detainees. Officers from the Tarempa Immigration Office in Natuna escorted the detainees throughout the deportation process. “Two Indonesian Navy personnel were placed in each vessel,” said Johan.
He said some of the 55 Vietnamese citizens were crew members of a fishing vessel caught by war ship KRI Fatahilla 361 over alleged illegal fishing several days ago.
“A Vietnamese coast guard closely watched KRI Fatahilla 361 when it raided the Vietnamese fishing vessel but it did not make any attempts to resist arrest,” said Johan.
He said beyond the 55 detainees to be repatriated, there were still 44 foreigners detained on allegations of illegal fishing, including 39 Vietnamese citizens, three Malaysians, and two Thai nationals. (yon/ebf)
