Indonesia releases Iranian tankers

JAKARTA: Indonesia has released an Iranian tanker and a Panamanian vessel that were both seized at the beginning of the year on suspicion of illegal oil transfers, officials said on Saturday.

Following legal proceedings, the crude oil tankers -- Iranian-flagged MT Horse and Panama-flagged MT Freya -- left Indonesia on Friday, the country’s Maritime Security Agency spokesperson told AFP. The captains of both tankers were found guilty on Tuesday of entering Indonesian territory without a permit.

MT Horse’s Iranian captain Mehdi Monghasemjahromi and MT Freya’s Chinese captain Chen Yo Qun were each handed a suspended prison sentence of one year with a two-year probational period. The court also ordered Chen to pay a two billion rupiah ($140,000) fine for dumping oil illegally in Indonesian waters.