Six migrants of Chinese nationality were rescued in the waters of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina by Coast Guard units of the Colombian Navy, while traveling on a boat from San Andres Island bound for Central America.
Thanks to the combined Traffic and Maritime Transport System, the Colombian-registered boat Sport Boat was detected moving suspiciously to the north of the island.
A Rapid Reaction Unit of the San Andres Coast Guard Station was immediately sent to the area in order to verify the situation.
When carrying out the interception at sea, it was found that the ship was illegal and did not have the minimum security conditions to go to sea and did not comply with current maritime regulations, which is why, it was taken by the crew of the Naval Institution to the main Coast Guard dock of San Andrés.
In safe port, after verifying their good state of health, the six people safeguarded were put into custody of Migración Colombia. The captain of the boat and another crewman, originally from San Andrés, were arrested and put into custody of officials of the Attorney General's Office.
With these rescued there are already 135 migrants, whose human life has been safeguarded at sea during the year in the waters of the Archipelago department, by units of the Naval Institution attached to the Specific Command of San Andrés and Providencia.
Within the framework of the Ayacucho and Almirante Padilla Naval Bicentenary Campaign Plans, the Colombian Navy, through the Caribbean Naval Force, has naval resources and human talent, in order to counteract the problem of irregular migration of people through its constitutional mission while denying sources routes of financing for illicit activities.
Source: Press – Navy of Colombia