Thai fishermen detained

Thai fishermen detained

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Sixteen Thai fishermen have been detained
by Malaysia's Sarawak state for straying into an exclusive
economic zone, the official Bernama news agency reported on
Sunday.

The state fisheries department nabbed the fishermen, aged
between 20 and 40, early Saturday and seized the Indonesian-
registered fishing vessel KM Yasbhon, department director
Sulaiman Abu Bakar was quoted as saying.

There was not much catch aboard the vessel, reportedly worth
600,000 ringgit ($157,895), since it had just entered the zone,
he said.

Sulaiman said that since last month the department had
detained 239 fishermen, including 57 foreigners for illegal
fishing in the zone in the state on Borneo island.