Colombian Navy clarifies what happened to speedboats seized in Venezuela

The three boats were at a fluvial control post, moored on the banks of the Meta River, in Vichada, on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, and were dragged by the current to the territory of the neighboring country. The request for its return has already been made.

In a statement, the Oriente Naval Force, based in Puerto Carreño (Vichada), clarified the versions disseminated from Venezuela by the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, about the alleged seizure of three combat boats with weapons and emblems of the Navy of Colombia, in a state of abandonment, located in the Chorro El Mono sector, Orinoco river, Cedeño municipality, in the State of Bolívar.

“In events that are the subject of investigation, three Colombian Navy boats that were at a river control post, moored on the banks of the Meta River, in the department of Vichada, on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, and that in at the moment they were unmanned, they were swept away by the current at dawn this Saturday, ”the report states.

According to the Colombian Navy, this fact occurred when the sentry in charge of the safety of the boats realized that, due to the effects of the strong current, the boats were dragged by the river, without having the opportunity to recover them. “Given this situation, the displacement of Units of the Eastern Naval Force was ordered for the recovery of the boats, but given the proximity to Venezuela, they were taken by the river, entering the territory of this country, which prevented them from Colombian units search and rescue them. “

Subsequently, the official document warns, the Oriente Naval Force established communication with the Venezuelan Navy naval post in Puerto Páez, in order to find out about the situation and coordinate the recovery of the boats, “in response to which they expressed their desire to to support, informing that they would carry out the location of the vessels and the corresponding delivery ”. In the course of the morning, the Venezuelan Navy confirmed having found the boats, which will be delivered to the Colombian Navy once the authorization of the superior command is obtained.

Previously, the Navy of the neighboring country, also in a statement, had reported that the three combat boats with the emblem of Colombia were Boston Wheeler models, each with two Evinrude-branded 175 HP engines, without identified crew members, armed with caliber machine guns. point 50 and M-60 and their respective ammunition ”. Emphasizing that “the Public Ministry and the other institutions of the Venezuelan State carry out the corresponding investigations.”