Seven Indonesia seamen accused of killing Taiwan captain

May 2, 2007, 9:55 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan on Wednesday launched a probe into the alleged murder of a Taiwan fishing ship captain by seven Indonesian seamen, but the Indonesians insist on their innocence.

'We want to find out the truth of Tsai's death, and we respect the outcome of the judicial investigation,' Tsai Jih-yao, from the Fisheries Administration, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

'If they are found guilty, they will be charged with murder,' he added.

The seven Indonesians are accused of killing Tsai Yun-sheng, captain of Taiwanese tuna trawler Hsin Ming Tsai, on April 27 following a dispute over a pay raise, and dumping his body into the sea near Palau in the Pacific Ocean.

Tsai called his family on a satellite phone before he was killed, saying the Indonesian seamen were going to kill him.

Palau arrested the seven Indonesian seamen and repatriated them to Taipei Tuesday, at the request of Taiwan authorities. The body of Tsai has not been found yet.

The Indonesian seamen denied killing Tsai, Taiwan TV reported, so the Bureau of Criminal Investigation began to interrogate them using lie detectors Wednesday, to find out how Tsai died.

Tsai's mother said on Wednesday that she only wanted the seven Indonesia seamen to be put to death.

'I don't want money compensation. I only want them to stand trial and be put to death!' said through tears on TV.