TEMPO.CO, Sorong - The Indonesian Navy has detained two foreign fishing vessels suspected of conducting illegal fishing activities in the Indonesian territory in the northern waters of Fami Island of Raja Ampat District, West Papua Province.

The two foreign vessels were a Philippine-flagged MV Jessica 006 vessel weighing 12 gross tonnage and a Vietnamese MV Pha Ong vessel of 14 gross tonnage, Commander of the Eastern Sea Security Armada First Admiral I.N.G. Sudihartawan stated here on Tuesday.

Ten crew members, including an Indonesian, of the Philippine vessel were arrested. The police also detained 13 crew members of the Vietnamese vessel.

The two vessels were intercepted by the Indonesian Navy Ship KRI Multatuli on Friday (May 27) in the Pacific waters north of Fani Island and were escorted to the Sorong Naval Base (Lantamal XIV).

During the operation, the local authority did not find any haul of marine resources aboard MV Jessica 006, but the crew members failed to present a legal permit to enter the Indonesian waters.

"On the Vietnamese vessel, we found eight tons of sea cucumbers suspected to be hauled from the Indonesian waters. The ship also had no permit to enter the Indonesian waters," Sudihartawan revealed.

The crew members of the two ships are being investigated by the local authority.

ANTARA