JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy on Friday (Nov 4) detained 10 Singaporeans on board a fishing vessel off Bintan island.
“The boat KM Rantau Bertuah, which is an Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel, was from Batam heading to the waters of Lagoi with three crew and 12 passengers. Two of the passengers are Indonesians and 10 are Singaporeans,” said the Indonesian Navy in a statement published on its website.
The navy said that upon inspection, the vessel did not have the necessary sailing permit and its safety certifications had also expired.
In addition, the vessel was travelling without a crew and passenger manifest.
The Singaporean passengers are aged between 33 and 55 years old, and two of them did not have their passports with them.
The navy said the vessel will be escorted to its base in Mentigi, in Belitung island on the east coast of Sumatra, and the Singaporean passengers will be handed over to the local immigration office.
This is the third time Singaporeans have been detained in the Riau islands on board fishing vessels this year.
Indonesia has been cracking down on illegal fishing after President Joko Widodo pledged to protect the country’s fishing industry.
