TAIPEI: Taiwan's Fisheries Agency says an Indonesian government vessel gave no warning before firing on two Taiwanese fishing boats earlier this month and denies that the boats were poaching in Indonesian waters.

The agency said in a report released late Monday that the fishing boats were hit by 17 bullets, including two that penetrated their cabins, in the March 21 incident. Agency chief Tsay Tzu-yaw said they were clearly not warning shots and asked Indonesia to provide an explanation.

No one was injured and the boats, which arrived hours later in Singapore, were not badly damaged.

Indonesia says its patrol ship fired at the Taiwanese vessels only after they ignored repeated warnings to leave Indonesian waters in the Strait of Malacca. It says the Taiwanese were suspected of fishing illegally.