Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said a navy ship intercepted the STS-50 about 60 miles (95 kilometres) from Weh Island in Aceh province last Friday, a day after a tip from Interpol saying the vessel was heading to Indonesian waters. Advertisement

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The boat, captured on Friday around 95km from Weh Island in Aceh province, had 20 Indonesians, two Ukrainians and eight Russians aboard, including the captain, a senior navy official said. Officially stateless, the STS-50 evaded the authorities by flying eight different flags at different times, including those of Sierra Leone, Togo, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan, Micronesia and Namibia, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday (April 8). The boat had earlier been seized by China but managed to escape, and was later captured in Mozambique’s Port of Maputo before fleeing again, Pudjiastuti said. Navy deputy chief of staff Achmad Taufiqoerrochman was quoted in the statement as saying the Indonesian crew lacked travel documents and had been at sea for a long time without pay, indicating they may have been victims of trafficking.
Indonesia announces the capture of MV STS-50, a stateless vessel wanted by Interpol for illegal fishing, and her crew following a chase. MV STS-50 previously evaded capture in Mozambique and escaped after being detained in China. Following the ship's detention Indonesia launches a slavery investigation into working conditions on board.