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Indonesia navy nabs cargo ship loaded with slave-caught fish

FILE - In this July 14, 2015 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe, two fishing trawlers load slave-caught fish onto the Silver Sea 2, center, a refrigerated cargo ship belonging to the Thai-owned Silver Sea Fishery Co., off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The Indonesian fisheries minister said the massive refrigerated cargo ship, Silver Sea 2, believed to be loaded with slave-caught fish has been seized by the navy and brought to shore after an Associated Press report alerted authorities about its presence in the country's waters. (DigitalGlobe via AP, File)
FILE - In this July 14, 2015 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe, two fishing trawlers load slave-caught fish onto the Silver Sea 2, center, a refrigerated cargo ship belonging to the Thai-owned Silver Sea Fishery Co., off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The Indonesian fisheries minister said the massive refrigerated cargo ship, Silver Sea 2, believed to be loaded with slave-caught fish has been seized by the navy and brought to shore after an Associated Press report alerted authorities about its presence in the country's waters. (DigitalGlobe via AP, File) FILE - In this July 14, 2015 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe, two fishing trawlers load slave-caught fish onto the Silver Sea 2, center, a refrigerated cargo ship belonging to the Thai-owned Silver Sea Fishery Co., off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The Indonesian fisheries minister said the massive refrigerated cargo ship, Silver Sea 2, believed to be loaded with slave-caught fish has been seized by the navy and brought to shore after an Associated Press report alerted authorities about its presence in the country's waters. (DigitalGlobe via AP, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – The Indonesian fisheries minister says a massive refrigerated cargo ship believed to be loaded with slave-caught fish has been seized by the navy and brought to shore after an Associated Press report alerted authorities about its presence in the country’s waters.

Susi Pudjiastuti says the Thai-owned Silver Sea 2 was located late Wednesday night and brought to Sabang on the island’s northwestern tip. The AP used a satellite beacon signal to trace its path from Papua New Guinea waters into neighboring Indonesia. The navy then spent a week trying to catch it.

The vessel is linked to an AP investigation earlier this year that uncovered a slave island in a remote part of Indonesia. Hundreds of men tricked and sold onto boats have since been rescued and repatriated.