A representative from the Vietnam Embassy in Indonesia talks to the fishermen upon their release. (Photo: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Thirty-nine Vietnamese fishermen arrested by Indonesia for illegal fishing were repatriated at the local Soekarno Hatta International Airport on November 15.
Most of them were from the central and southern parts of Vietnam, including Kien Giang, Quang Binh and Quang Ngai. They were detained on Rannai island for between 3 and 4 months.
Since the beginning of 2016, 98 boats and approximately 1,110 fishermen of Vietnam have been captured by Indonesia’s forces. The Vietnam Embassy in Indonesia has helped 790 go home while the rest are still being confined on various Indonesian islands.
According Tran Minh Cu, First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia, the agency visited many of these fishermen and warned them of increasing piracy and kidnapping at sea in the region.
As Indonesia has affirmed the continuous deployment of strict measures against foreign fishing vessels operating illegally in its waters, Vietnamese fishermen were ordered to obey legal regulations to avoid unwanted incidents.
In late October, Indonesia’s functional forces chased and shot at two Vietnamese fishing boats, injuring three of 13 fishermen on board, with one later died due to serious wounds.-VNA
