According to information from the shipowner provided to the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Inspection Service of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Angola, to which agency Lusa had access, the process is being analyzed by the Namibian Justice and the detainees are being await trial on the boat, where the rest of the crew is.
At issue is the retention of a fishing vessel, in Namibian waters, which was carrying 19 crew members, including a Portuguese, the captain of the vessel, 15 of Angolan nationality, two Senegalese and a South African.
The first hearing was held on January 19th, with the final decision of the court case on the 8th of this month.
According to the information, the Angolan embassy in Namibia visited the ship and was with the crew and was invited to attend the first hearing held on January 19th.
A source from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Inspection Service of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Angola told Lusa that the Namibian authorities now tend to look at the case only as a fishing infraction and not illegal fishing, because no fish was found in the ship, were only found in Namibian waters.
"At this moment, the entire crew has been created communication and logistical conditions, such as internet, to interact with their relatives, and will await the outcome on the ship and then the repatriation of the entire crew", said the same source.
Namibian authorities found the boat and, upon inspection, suspected that "it was about to carry out fishing".
