Two Ships And 29 Fishermen From Aceh Arrested By The Thai Navy

BANDA ACEH - Two fishing trawlers with 29 fishermen from Aceh were caught by the navy or coast guard officers in Thailand for allegedly entering the country's maritime territorial boundaries.

"It is suspected that the Acehnese fishermen have crossed the Indonesian sea limit, or entered other countries' territory," said Panglima Laot Aceh Miftach Tjut Adek, in Banda Aceh, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 28.

Miftach said that the fishermen came from the East Aceh region, they went to sea on Wednesday (23/8) using the KM Cahaya Putra ship and KM Salsabila.

The two ships were then stopped by Thai authorities in the country's exclusive economic zone, or about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket.

"Currently they are being investigated by the navy or the coast guard there (Thailand)," he said.

Miftach explained that basically the Acehnese fishermen entered the Thai marine territorial area by accident, but because of ignorance of Indonesia's maritime boundaries.

"They don't really know that they have entered Thailand, they don't know the boundaries of the sea area," he said.

Regarding this, said Miftach, his party had reported the problem to the Aceh Government, then to the Central PSDKP through the Banda Aceh Lampulo Base.

"We have reported this issue to the Aceh Government, Central PSDKP. They ask us to continue to provide the latest developments," said Miftach.