Fisherman killed as Indonesia navy fires
By Hu Xiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-22 06:21

An Indonesian warship opened fire on a Chinese fishing boat on Monday, killing one Chinese crewman and wounding two others, the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta confirmed yesterday.

The incident happened in Indonesian waters in the Arafuru Sea off Papua Island.

Counsellor Yu Hongyao at China's embassy told China Daily by telephone that China was "astonished and strongly dissatisfied" with the actions the Indonesian navy had taken against ship Fuyuan 123.

"We have made solemn representations to the Indonesian side, expecting it to inform us of the latest developments," he said.

The Chinese Embassy knows the identities of the dead and injured but has not released their names, he said, adding that the damaged ship belongs to the Fujian Marine Fishery General Company.

The incident occurred at 10:50 am on Monday when four Chinese fishing boats suspected of illegal fishing were intercepted by the Indonesian navy, local media quoted Toni Syaiful, press officer of Indonesia's eastern fleet, as saying.

The Indonesian warship fired 13 shots altogether, hitting one of the boats. Three other fishing vessels escaped the scene, Syaiful said.

The damaged ship and the remaining 13 crew members are now in detention at a naval base in the Papua coastal town of Merauke.

"We're informed that the health of the detained crew members is OK, and we have asked the Indonesian side to treat them humanely," said Yu.