Two Taiwanese fishing boats claimed to have been fired upon by an Indonesian government vessel while operating in the Strait of Malacca early on Monday. Taiwan’s representatives in Jakarta are confirming the involvement of an Indonesian state vessel, noting that the area is known for rampant piracy.
The Taiwanese vessels involved included the Sheng Te Tsai and the Lien I Hsing No. 116, both of which were reportedly en route to Singapore to offload their cargo and replenish onboard supplies. The skipper of the Sheng Te Tsai, Lin Nan-yang, sent a satellite call to the Taiwanese vessel owner shortly after 5 a.m. to indicate that both ships had been shot at. None of the crew members were injured during the incident, although the Sheng Te Tsai’s hull was punctured by 10 bullet holes.
According to the CNA, Lin stated that the shots had been aimed at the ship’s cockpit and originated from a ship bearing a prefix code (2804) indicating that it was an Indonesian government vessel. Indonesian officials have stated they have not yet received information regarding the incident.
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Via: http://news.asiaone.com/
