National

Indonesian Navy Intercepts Chinese Ship
Wednesday, 21 September, 2005 | 23:43 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Surabaya, East Java:Indonesian warship, KRI Dalpele 972, captained by Naval Lt. Col. (P) Estu Prabowo, fired on the Chinese, MV Fu Yuan Yu, that was fishing illegally in the Arafuru sea on Monday (19/09) at 5.45am Eastern Indonesian Time.

One member of the ship’s crew, Mea Weng Qan from China, was killed, and two other crew members, Wang Heping and Yuan Weng You, were injured.

Eastern Region Indonesian fleet commander Rear Admiral Yosafat Didik Heru Purnomo said on Wednesday (21/09) it was assumed that the ship was fishing illegally in the Arafuru sea.

When the Indonesian Navy was about to intercept the ship, which was owned by PT Anugrah Mitra Luhur Sejat, it stopped.

“It tried to escape and almost hit the Indonesian ship,” said Purnomo.

The incident started as a routine patrol by Indonesian ship Dalpele discovered four ships, illegally fishing in the Arafuru sea.

When approached within a distance of five miles, the ships were seen to be utilizing pair trawls.

The Indonesian ship then chased the MV Fu Yuan Yu fishing boat and tried to make contact but the boat increased its speed.

“We fired warning shots from our 20mm and 40mm caliber cannons. However, all the shots were ignored,” stated Purnomo.

When the shots were fired, the boat even tried to hit the Indonesian ship.

“As a result, our shots then hit the stern of the ship,” stated Purnomo.

The victims and the ship have been taken to the Merauke Naval Base. (Adi Mawardi-Tempo News Room)