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Bakamla drives Chinese coast guard vessel out of North Natuna waters
The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) drove off a Chinese coast guard vessel on Monday that entered Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea without authorization.
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A Chinese coast guard vessel draws alongside Indonesian Navy ship KRI Usman Harun as the latter moves to intercept Chinese fishing boats in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea on Nov. 1, 2020. (Antara/M Risyal Hidayat)
T
he Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) drove off a Chinese coast guard vessel on Monday that entered Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea near Riau Islands province without authorization.
The agency said in a statement that Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5402 had been disrupting seismic survey activities by employees of PT Pertamina East Natuna aboard the MV Geo Coral vessel.
Early on Monday, Bakamla’s command and control center received a report of disturbances to the MV Geo Coral’s activities caused by the Chinese vessel in PT Pertamina East Natuna’s designated work area, which was within Indonesia’s continental shelf in the North Natuna Sea.
MV Geo Coral was being escorted by three vessels, UB Anugerah Bersama 17, AHT PSB Roller and TB Teluk Bajau Victory.
The KN Tanjung Datu-301 patrol ship later moved to the location and found the CCG 5402 at 5.30 a.m. on Monday.
“The patrol ship attempted to communicate via radio with the vessel, but CCG 5402 insisted that the area was part of China’s jurisdiction,” the Bakamla statement read.
A few minutes later, KN Tanjung Datu 301 received assistance from the Navy patrol ship KRI Sutedi Senaputera 378 and a Bakamla maritime patrol aircraft. Together, they drove the Chinese vessel out of Indonesian waters.
