Navy hunts down RP fishing boat

Navy hunts down RP fishing boat

MANADO: A fishing vessel from the Philippines is sought by the
Indonesian Navy for escaping seizure in Bitung, North Sulawesi.

Bitung Naval base commander Lt. Col. I Dewa Putu GS said on
Friday the fishing boat was intercepted initially by the KRI Nuku
patrol boat on Tuesday for poaching.

"After we had confiscated their ship documents and ordered
them to moor at the Bitung Port, the boat slipped away with their
catch," Putu told reporters in Manado.

Putu said the KRI Nuku crew found 600 kg of tuna in the
vessel's hold. The fish was believed to have been poached from
North Sulawesi waters.

The fishing boat was flying an Indonesian flag, but had
Philippine documents and a crew of 13 Filipinos and three
Indonesians. -- JP