Patrolling navy ship caught the motorboat on Monday night in the sea off the Sinjay regency on its way to Australia, regional navy spokesman Mayor Darmawangsa said.
The boat, KM Andi, was believed to have loaded the illegal immigrants at the Sinjay river mouth, Darmawangsa said in a press release issued here on Tuesday.
The skipper of KM Andri Conna and three crewmen were arrested as they could not show legal documents, he said.
He said the 71 illegal immigrants including 59 men and 12 women together with the crewmen are held at the navy office in Makassar awaiting further questioning.
Earlier on Sunday night, 79 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, Iran and Bangladesh were caught off East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) by the regional sea police.
Police said 48 of the immigrants were from Myanmar, nine from Iran and 22 from Bangladesh.
They rented a wooden vessel without name from Surabaya of East Java, police spokesman said
On their way in the sea off East Nusatenggara, the boat cracked on its hold and water began to enter from the leak before a sea police patrol came to their rescue.
Three of the vessel`s crew members fled during the process of evacuation from the sinking vessel. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
