Among the rescued people are two minors.
With this humanitarian operation, 293 migrants have been safeguarded at sea in 2023.
In a successful maritime search and control operation, Coast Guard units of the Colombian Navy safeguarded the life at sea of 16 migrants, who were rescued 15 kilometers south of San Andrés Island, moments when they were traveling on a boat bound for Central America.
The operation began because the Traffic and Maritime Transport System detected the Colombian-registered boat IAS II, moving suspiciously to the south of the island without any authorization. Immediately, a Rapid Reaction Unit - URR of the Coast Guard Station of San Andrés and Providencia in the area proceeded to verify the situation. When carrying out the interception at sea, it was found that the ship did not have any type of authorization, nor did it have the minimum security conditions to go to sea and did not comply with current maritime regulations. So it was taken by the crew of the Naval Institution to the main Coast Guard dock of San Andrés.
In safe port, after checking the good state of health, the protected persons, 15 Venezuelans and one Colombian, including two minors, were put into custody of Migración Colombia and the minors at the Children and Adolescence Police units. The captain of the boat and another crewman, originally from San Andrés, were arrested and put into custody of officials of the Technical Investigation Corps - CTI of the Attorney General's Office.
Within the framework of the Ayacucho Campaign Plan, the Colombian Navy, through the Specific Command of San Andrés and Providencia, will continue to have naval, air and land resources, in order to counteract irregular migration of people, while denying sources of financing for illegal activities in this region of the country.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
