Navy helps fight drug trafficking

Mon, 11/24/2008 11:35 AM | National

BATAM: Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno signed Saturday an MoU with the National Narcotics Agency in the fight against drug trafficking.

Tedjo said the agreement would allow the Navy to help prevent drug trafficking by sea, given the vulnerability of maritime borders to narcotics-related criminal activities.

The Navy chief also inked an agreement with the director general of taxes and excise, the director general of sea transportation and the director general of fisheries and marine resources control and supervision, on the prevention of crimes at sea, also covering the lending of a 12.7 mm weapon and its ammunition to support law enforcement at sea. -- JP

Foreign officers complete study

Sat, 11/15/2008 10:57 AM | National

JAKARTA: Navy chief of staff Adm. Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno closed Friday a training program for 128 Navy Staff and Command School officers that was attended by eight foreign officers from eight countries.

The foreign officers represented the United States, Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan.

Tedjo said the school was a center of excellence that was expected to generate thinkers who would contribute to maritime development in Indonesia.

The annual course lasted 10 months. Participating officers were ranked major or lieutenant colonel.

The school has so far graduated 3,402 officers, including 170 foreign officers from 15 countries thanks to a cooperation agreement between Indonesia and the participating countries. -- JP

Navy detains three Vietnamese boats

Tue, 10/07/2008 9:56 AM | National

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy has detained three Vietnamese fishing vessels for alleged poaching in Indonesian waters off Riau Islands, the Navy headquarters said here Monday.

"The three fishing boats carrying the Vietnamese flag are now being detained at Ranai naval base in Riau Islands," Navy headquarters spokesman Commodore Iskandar Sitompul said.

He said the three boats had been intercepted by Navy ship KRI Imam Bonjol-383 inside Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone. They were stopped for using trawls and were later found to lack required fishing documents.

"By stopping them, the Navy prevented potential state losses of Rp 500 million (US$52,632)," Iskandar said.

The three boats were skippered by Than Liem, Lam Van Tu and Ta Minh Tri Chu and crewed by a combined 45 sailors. -- JP

Navy chief promoted to full admiral

Tue, 10/07/2008 9:58 AM | National

JAKARTA: Navy chief of staff Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno has been promoted to full admiral just three months into his tenure.

Tedjo announced the news of his promotion to Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Djoko Santoso at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Monday.

Djoko told Navy under Adm. Tedjo to increase security around outlying islands, particularly those that were uninhabited or unmanaged, citing chronic reports of transnational crimes in the areas, including piracy, illegal fishing and smuggling.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed Tedjo as head Navy chief in July. He replaced Adm. Sumardjono, who retired after nine months of service. -- JP

Navy chief promoted to full admiral

Tue, 10/07/2008 9:58 AM | National

JAKARTA: Navy chief of staff Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno has been promoted to full admiral just three months into his tenure.

Tedjo announced the news of his promotion to Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Djoko Santoso at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Monday.

Djoko told Navy under Adm. Tedjo to increase security around outlying islands, particularly those that were uninhabited or unmanaged, citing chronic reports of transnational crimes in the areas, including piracy, illegal fishing and smuggling.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed Tedjo as head Navy chief in July. He replaced Adm. Sumardjono, who retired after nine months of service. -- JP

Navy salvages missing aircraft

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 06/29/2007 10:25 AM

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy managed Thursday to salvage a missing N-22 Nomad maritime patrol aircraft from the seabed of waters off Mapur Island in Riau Islands province.

However, Navy divers were unable to find the remains of Maj. Suwelo Wibisono, who piloted the ill-fated plane that went missing in 1987.

Divers attached 20 barrels and four inflatable balloons to float the wreckage, which was resting some 20 meters below sea level when first sighted by local fishermen.

""The airplane is still submerged, floating a few meters below the sea surface,"" Western Fleet Air Unit chief Col. Subariyoto told detik.com news portal Thursday.

The wrecked plane is badly damaged at its nose and tail. It is currently being towed by a Navy Rempang patrol boat to the Tanjung Pinang Main Naval Base. -- JP

Navy to raise sunken airplane

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 06/20/2007 9:48 AM

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy is sending a warship to survey an area believed to be the location of an N22S Nomad surveillance airplane that went down in the waters off Mapur Island in Riau Islands province 20 years ago, an officer said as quoted by Detik.com news portal on Tuesday.

""We will have a briefing with Navy divers scheduled to arrive here in Tanjung Pinang on Wednesday from Jakarta,"" commander of the Tanjung Pinang Main Naval Base, Commodore Among Martono, said.

""There is no need to hurry to evacuate the airplane as we already know the location.""

The Australian-made surveillance aircraft was piloted by Maj. Suwelo Wibisono when it went down. The wreckage was found by local fishermen last Friday.

The plane's crew and passengers survived the accident and were rescued by a Singaporean warship under surveillance by the ill-fated airplane for entering Indonesian waters. -- JP