74 Cambodians deported

SURABAYA: Seventy-four Cambodians were deported on Thursday after being detained at the Indonesian naval base here with 69 other Thai fishermen for nearly one year.

The naval base's spokesperson, Maj. Tony Syaiful, said that the Cambodians left from Juanda Airport on a direct flight to Cambodia.

The International Organization for Migrants (IOM) representative office in Jakarta chartered a Malaysian Airlines airplane to take them to Cambodia.

"All expenses were paid by the IOM," Tony said as quoted by Antara.

Tony said that the boat crews were arrested while poaching in Indonesian waters. They were picked up by Indonesian Navy warship KRI NUKU 373 on July 27 and July 28 last year.

The captains, five of them, were sentenced to five years imprisonment on April 18, plus fined Rp 5 million each.

Earlier on May 10, three Thai fishermen were deported from the naval base as they were allegedly infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

There are 66 Thai fishermen still being detained at the naval base.

Tony said he did not know when they would be deported.(hdn)