26 arrested Vietnamese fishermen return home

26 arrested Vietnamese fishermen return home (Source :VNA)

Jakarta (VNA) – Twenty-six Vietnamese fishermen, who were arrested by Indonesian forces for encroaching their country’s waters, were flown home on May 10.

As such, over 100 Vietnamese fishermen have been so far this year released by Indonesian authorities and brought home.

Compared to two years ago, the number of Vietnamese fishermen crossing Indonesian waters has tripled. Hundreds are waiting for court hearings or flights home.

According to the Indonesian law, sailors are only detained, pay fines and complete procedures to return home.

Meanwhile, captains and chief mechanics are subject to court trials and a sentence of between six months and four years in prison.

Since the beginning of this year, Indonesia has arrested 10 vessels from Vietnam carrying nearly 100 fishermen.

It has sunk 53 foreign fishing boats violating its territorial waters, 24 of which were from Vietnam.-VNA