A Prefectura Naval Argentina vessel on Monday chased the vessel Lu Yan Yuan Yu, firing warning shots and eventually sank the ship, according to reports.
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Early this week, on either Monday or Tuesday, Argentina’s coast guard sank a Chinese fishing boat that it claimed was fishing illegally in a restricted area near Puerto Madryn.
The Argentine coast guard rescued four crew members including the captain, while the rest of the crew was rescued by one of two other Chinese ships nearby.
That’s why the coast guard opened fire, Argentine officials said.
Last year Greenpeace said that at least 74 fishing vessels owned and operated by four Chinese distant water fishing companies had been exposed for fishing illegally off west Africa.
Beijing “expressed serious concern about this incident, and called on Argentina to make an immediate and thorough investigation, report the details to China”, spokesman Lu Kang was cited as saying.
Macri’s centre-right government, which took office in December, is likely be keen to avoid a diplomatic ruckus with the Asian powerhouse which has gained a strong foothold in South America, traditionally the United States’ back yard.
Officials at the Chinese Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina declined to comment pending investigation.
“As a result, water entered the vessel’s body and the vessel began to sink”, the statement said.
Coast guards using radar picked up the trawler fishing off the coast of Puerto Madryn, Chubut province, an Argentina-exclusive fishing zone known for squid.
Warning shots were fired at the Lu Yan Yuan as it tried to escape and after it ignored attempts at radio contact.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Argentina to investigate the incident and ensure the safety of the crew.
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Illegal fishing is frequently a problem in the region.
