The NGO Greenpeace says a suspected pirate fishing boat has fled Kiribati authorities after being ordered to port by Kiribati fisheries officers.
The fisheries officers were onboard Greenpeace's surveillance ship, MV Esperanza which is travelling the region to expose the threat of overfishing.
The NGO says the Dongwon 117, a Korean vessel, has consistently failed to report to relevant authorities thoughout the past year it has been at sea.
The officers boarded Dongwon 117, ordered it to stop fishing and planned to escort it back to port in Kiribati for investigation, but the vessel steamed away.
Greenpeac says Korea is a member of the regional Tuna Commission and the organisation should immediately remove the Dongwon 117 from their registers.
