No so diver friendly

[YCW]

Diving news in today's local paper. To me a little diving encroachment is not such a big deal.

 

[DORSETBOY]

can kinda see why countries get a bit funny about boats crossing unpermitted into their territorial waters, esp in the current climate of fear about terror attacks and kidnappings.

 

[Jester]

You've got to figure that the vessel was a liveaboard. How long should it take to figure out that it's just a bunch of divers?

I wonder if there's more to the story?

 

[Evie]

i think so too, it seems like they ask them to pay some fine right?

 

[Albion]

You've got to figure that the vessel was a liveaboard. How long should it take to figure out that it's just a bunch of divers?

I wonder if there's more to the story?

yes there is
http://www.scubaboard.com/t75229-anambasnatuna.html


Some of the confusion is over what the divers were doing at the wreck
Are you taking stuff to sell - no just looking at fish
are you catching fish - no just looking
are you taking coral - no just looking

The authorities cant figure out why someone will pay good money to go out to sea to look at mantas at a wreck without taking something away for financial gain.

The passengers have been released but the crew and vessel remain in indonesia. This is a popular local dive site and is in fact closer to malaysia (pulau aur, which has some habitation) than it is to indonesia (pulau damar, simply a lighthouse 11.4 miles away). This is the first time indo has made claim on the area, until now the dive site has always been considered as international waters