The fisheries agency says that the two Taiwanese fishing vessels that drew fire from an Indonesian patrol boat last Monday were operating legally in the Strait of Malacca. That’s the word from Fisheries Agency Director-General Tsay Tzu-yaw on Monday.
Although no one was wounded in the shooting incident, the controversy has become a thorny issue between the two countries.
According to an investigative report released by the fisheries agency Monday, the two boats were travelling at a speed of seven to eight nautical miles while passing through Indonesia’s economic waters.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Tsay said that while Indonesia has the right to inspect the fishing boats, the timing of the incident should be clarified and reviewed. Tsay said the bullet holes were mostly found in the cabin and sleeping quarters.
Tsay also said the government will demand that Indonesia apologize and offer compensation unless it has proof that the fishing boats broke the law.