Susi's Team Monitors Illegal Fishing Boats in RI Waters
25 November 2014 14:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has dispatched teams to keep an eye on Indonesian waters prone to illegal fishing. Tempo photographer Ijar Karim had the opportunity to tag along the team on a silent operation on Sunday, November 16, 2014.
The operation was carried out on a Pilatus plane belonging to the minister, some 13,000 feet above sea level. Once the plane was in a close proximity to a suspected illegal fishing boat, the pilot, an Italian, dived the plane in a daredevil maneuver and stalled it 50 meters away from the boat.
During the maneuver, Susi’s men, along with Ijar, took pictures of the boat, particularly of the part where the boat's name was printed. The pilot said he could not fly any closer lest the boat would open fire on the plane.
"Journalist, are you okay?” the pilot then asked Ijar, who raised his thumb up, signaling he was fine. Moments later, the pilot asked for the second time, "Do you wanna puke?" By the time the pilot asked the question, Ijar already grabbed a plastic bag at a position ready to puke.
IJAR KARIM | RINI K.
