Ecuador Navy Strengthens Controls Against 'Piracy' on the High Seas
MORE THAN a dozen ships, including a submarine, participate in the operational controls carried out by the Ecuadorian Navy at sea as part of an emergency declared in three ports. "Isla Santa Clara", one of the boats belonging to the Coast Guard Command, travelled to the southern border of the country to start such operations.
Although it was a routine patrol in the beginning, the commander of the ship, Lieutenant Alvaro Cruz, recalled that there are always risks, because you never know when they will encounter thieves or smugglers.
The boat is equipped with technology to monitor large areas of sea, usually browse among the peninsula of Santa Elena and Puerto Bolívar, which together are the three ports Guayaquil declared emergency [due to] robberies against fishermen.
From the control room, they traced the route, after detecting a boat nearby, and began operations to address it.
Ensign William Abbot was leading the team, and said that it was a small legal fishing boat."What not to carry are animals or weapons cargo without registration documents."
This type of fishing vessel when located by the Coast Guard operations, once on board and documentation is reviewed inside the ship, and then data from each of its crew is gathered.
Pedro Chavez, a fisherman, said he felt safe with this type of control. "Those who use outboard motors are those who assault [fishermen]".
The patrol boat can go up to five days in continuous patrols with 21 crew with small arms. "In our work is the neutralization of illicit activities, including drug trafficking and smuggling of goods."
The Navy ordered the operations frigates, corvettes, fast boats, including the submarine in question for controls at sea. It's been two weeks since the emergency was declared, the goal is to combat assaults on fishermen and defend maritime sovereignty.
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