Skipper Arrested For Fleeing From Inspection

The Japan Coast Guard in Okinawa Prefecture arrested the 51-year-old Skipper of a Taiwanese fishing boat on suspicion of fleeing from inspections off Miyako Island and violating the fisheries law, officials said.Tseng Chi-chuan allegedly ignored the Coast Guard's order to halt the 34.4-ton Tsengchinshun 206 and fled from Japan's exclusive economic zone about 90 kilometers south-southeast of Miyako Island around 7:35 p.m., according to the officials. The boat, with six crew members on board, stopped after fleeing for 12 hours. The Coast Guard is also investigating possible violations of the law on fishery rights as the boat may have fished illegally in the EEZ, the officials said.