Story Publication logo July 18, 2024

Death on the Wei Yu 18

Authors:
A fishing vessel floats on the open sea in cloudy weather
English

A four-year investigation looks at human rights and environmental crimes on Chinese fishing ships.

author #1 image author #2 image
Multiple Authors
SECTIONS
The dark chronicle of a squid jigger and a man trafficked onto it. Video courtesy of The Outlaw Ocean Project.

In July of 2018, a young man named Fadhil left his home in Indonesia to work as a deckhand on a high seas fishing vessel, a Chinese squid jigger called The Wei Yu 18. He was 25 years old, venturing out to sea for the first time. Fadhil boarded the Wei Yu 18 at the Port of Busan, South Korea, where he joined a crew of nine other Indonesians and 20 Chinese.

This is the tragic story of Fadhil, who was trafficked onto a Chinese squidfishing vessel.


As a nonprofit journalism organization, we depend on your support to fund more than 170 reporting projects every year on critical global and local issues. Donate any amount today to become a Pulitzer Center Champion and receive exclusive benefits!


RELATED TOPICS

Criminal Justice

Topic

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice
teal halftone illustration of a construction worker holding a helmet under their arm

Topic

Labor Rights

Labor Rights
teal halftone illustration of a family carrying luggage and walking

Topic

Migration and Refugees

Migration and Refugees
a yellow halftone illustration of two trout

Topic

Ocean

Ocean

Support our work

Your support ensures great journalism and education on underreported and systemic global issues