Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur confirmed Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur that 19 Chinese seamen on a Taiwanese fishing boat which was seized in Malaysian Port of Johor Baru last Sunday have returned to China Tuesday evening.

The Malaysian Marine Police patrol vessels last Sunday intercepted the fishing boat "Dong Yih 668" in the Malacca Straits and escorted it to the Port Johor Baru.

It is reported there was a suspected mutiny on the fishing boat. On board the boat were captain Chen Kuoching, 44, and other three seamen from China's Taiwan, 19 seamen from China's mainland and six others from the Philippines.

"Dong Yih 668" cut contacts with its headquarters in Taiwan after deep-sea fishing in the Indian Ocean on January 13.

Commenting on the incident, Xu Zeyou, Counselor in the Chinese Embassy, told Xinhua that the occurrence was triggered off by bad industrial relations. The seamen on the fishing boat were not allowed to go on shore for a very long time. In addition, the captain treated the seamen roughly and did not pay in time the seamen their salaries.

The seamen from China's mainland demanded their payment and early return to their homes, according to the counselor.

Malaysian Marine police chief for the southern region, Superintendent Abdul aziz, told local press that in the event, the marine police only played the role of rescuing and stabilizing the situation.

Source: Xinhua