Navy sinks hijacked vessel in Aceh

JAKARTA: The Navy sank a foreign cargo vessel on Thursday after it was hijacked by three Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists.

The Navy deployed three warships to hunt down the KM Champion XIX. It is thought the GAM members were killed in the incident.

The three separatists had refused to surrender and instead opened fire on the warships, spokesman for the Western Fleet Maj. Eddi Fernandi said here on Friday.

"The warships shot the hijacked vessel, which was trying to escape into Malaysian waters. An exchange of fire was inevitable...," he said. The hijacking of the ship was detected when warship KRI Sibarau was patrolling off Berhala Island.

He said 11 crew members of the ill-fated vessel jumped overboard as the ship was boarded, and that they were arrested for questioning.

The ship was hijacked while en route to supplying illegal machine parts via Belawan Port, North Sumatra. -- Antara