JAKARTA—Indonesia has sunk 125 mostly foreign vessels involved in illegal fishing as it ramps up efforts to exert greater control over its vast maritime territory, an official said on Wednesday.
The sinkings at 11 locations across Indonesia were carried out simultaneously on Monday.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry spokesperson Lily Pregiwati on Wednesday said the operation was not announced in advance to avoid straining relations with neighboring countries.
Indonesia says it has sunk 488 illegal fishing vessels since 2014, usually with explosives.
14 from the Philippines
The vessels sunk on Monday included 86 vessels from Vietnam, 20 from Malaysia and 14 from the Philippines.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, claims a huge exclusive economic zone.
In Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs said 15 Filipino boat captains who had been jailed in Indonesia for five months to three years for illegal fishing were repatriated on Monday.
The skippers were recently released to the Philippine Consulate General in Manado after serving their prison terms.
Sent back to the Philippines along with them were five other Filipinos from two families who were held for overstaying.
Consul General Oscar Orcine said each of the boat captains received P5,000 in cash assistance before they boarded their flights to the Philippines.—AP WITH A REPORT FROM DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN