Indonesian Sailors Detained for Killing Taiwan Skipper

Two sailors from Indonesia have been taken into custody on suspicions that they killed the captain of the Pingtung-registered fishing vessel  they worked on last month, says the China Post. 

The Indonesian sailors working the fishing vessel reportedly attacked their Taiwanese skipper, Wang Yao-chang, after an argument in Myanmarian waters with a wooden club on December 3rd.  Sailors of the fishing ship were then said to have thrown Wang’s body overboard following the attack, causing his death.  The six-man crew lost contact with their Taiwan base just two days later.

After the loss of communication and suspected sailor rebellion, prosecutors of the Pingtung District directed a Criminal Investigation Bureau to Interpol and First Investigation Brigade to look into the case and negotiated with India for help.  The Indian Navy then intercepted the vessel a week later in December, where the sailors refused to respond to paging from the Indian Navy’s radio and only stopped after warning shots were fire. 

The two murder suspects were captured, and sent back to Taiwan, where they were interrogated and remain in custody of the government.