photo by fleetmon.com
A patrol boat of the Navy of Venezuela sank in international waters after apparently shooting and ramming a German cruise ship. Allegedly the "Resolute" was to be diverted off course.
Threatening maneuver off the South American coast: A patrol boat of the Venezuelan Navy is said to have fired at the German cruise ship "Resolute" and apparently rammed it deliberately. The Venezuelan boat sank as a result, however, according to the Hamburg-based operating company of the cruise ship, Columbia Cruise Services.
The incident off the Venezuelan island of La Tortuga had already occurred on March 30. At that time, "Resolute" had only 32 employees, but no passengers on board and was on its way off the island to carry out routine engine maintenance in Curaçao, the report continues.
The ship was not hardly damaged in the collision. It has a reinforced hull for voyages in the Antarctic. The vessel, currently flying the Portuguese flag, was apparently intended to be diverted off course by the Venezuelan patrol boat. However, the captain of the "Resolute" had indicated that it was in international waters. The "Naiguata" then rammed the cruise ship and began to sink. The Venezuelan crew was apparently saved by the navy.
After the incident, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro spoke of "an act of terrorism and piracy" and ordered an investigation. "If it had been a tourist ship, it would not have appeared to want to attack," Maduro is also quoted in South American media.
A patrol boat of the Navy of Venezuela sank in international waters after apparently shooting and ramming a German cruise ship. Allegedly the "Resolute" was to be diverted off course.
Threatening maneuver off the South American coast: A patrol boat of the Venezuelan Navy is said to have fired at the German cruise ship "Resolute" and apparently rammed it deliberately. The Venezuelan boat sank as a result, however, according to the Hamburg-based operating company of the cruise ship, Columbia Cruise Services.
The incident off the Venezuelan island of La Tortuga had already occurred on March 30. At that time, "Resolute" had only 32 employees, but no passengers on board and was on its way off the island to carry out routine engine maintenance in Curaçao, the report continues.
The ship was not hardly damaged in the collision. It has a reinforced hull for voyages in the Antarctic. The vessel, currently flying the Portuguese flag, was apparently intended to be diverted off course by the Venezuelan patrol boat. However, the captain of the "Resolute" had indicated that it was in international waters. The "Naiguata" then rammed the cruise ship and began to sink. The Venezuelan crew was apparently saved by the navy.
After the incident, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro spoke of "an act of terrorism and piracy" and ordered an investigation. "If it had been a tourist ship, it would not have appeared to want to attack," Maduro is also quoted in South American media.
