35 Thai fishermen deported from Aceh

35 Thai fishermen deported from Aceh

INDONESIA: Local immigration authorities have deported 35 Thai fishermen to their country after being detained at the Singkil correctional facility in Aceh, since August for poaching in Indonesian waters, an official said on Saturday.

The Thai fishermen left Aceh Singkil district on Friday in three minivans, bound for the Belawan port in North Sumatra from where they went straight to Thailand aboard a ship, head of the correctional facility, T. Hasnur Abidin, said as quoted by Antara.

The 35 fishermen were crew members of three Thai fishing boats caught by the Marine Security Coordinating Board (Bakor Kamla) of Aceh Singkil for poaching fish in Indonesian waters, he said.

They were deported after being found innocent in the case, he said.

Meanwhile, six other Thai fishermen, consisting of three captains and three machine cabin chiefs, are being detained at the correctional facility on charges of poaching fish in Indonesian waters.

Earlier, deputy head of the Aceh Singkil district court, M. Sabir, said Indonesian Navy investigators are in the process of interrogating the six Thai fishermen as suspects in the case. --JP