JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network) - A photograph showing Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti sleeping while reclined on a couch in a waiting area of John F. Kennedy Airport in New York went viral on social media on Monday (June 12) and won her praise for being a "super woman".

Susi reportedly fell asleep in a VIP lounge of the airport after attending a United Nations conference about maritime affairs in New York on Sunday (June 11), during which she got a compliment from actor Leonardo DiCaprio for combating illegal fishing and for protecting the sea.

The picture was uploaded onto a Facebook account owned by a Jim B. Aditya at 12am on Monday.

"This super woman deserves to be called the mother of Indonesia's seas," Jim wrote as a caption.

Jim added that DiCaprio also called her a brave woman who inspired the world.

The picture had been shared by at least 1,700 users and attracted 10,000 responses by 12.40pm.

A man name Edi Susanto wrote on the Facebook account: "This is an official who cares about her people, especially fishermen. Bravo, Mrs Susi."