(Isla La Tortuga) In
the early hours of March 30th, the German passenger liner RCGS
Resolute built to cruise Antarctic waters, found itself holding position on one
engine 13 miles off the coast of Tortuga Island a Venezuelan island situated some 60
miles off the country's northern coast whilst repairs were effected on its
other engine.
It was approached by the Venezuelan Navy ship ANBV Naiguatá, (a 1700 tonne Spanish built offshore patrol vessel (OPV) designed for patrolling the coasts of a nation) which demanded to know what they were doing and ordered the cruise ship to follow it to Puerto Moreno on Isla De Margarita, located to the east, accusing it of violating the country's territorial waters, whilst the Captain was on the phone to his head office a number of shots were fired across the bows of the liner, it then rammed the liner at the bow in which to force it to do as they demanded.
And here is where the captain of the Naiguatá made his first and only huge mistake, You see the Resolute was built in Germany with a reinforced hull in which to allow it to cruise in Arctic and Antarctic waters and when the Navy ship rammed it, it only succeeded in scraping the paint off the front of the Resoluteso , on the other-side of the coin the navy ship ripped a huge hole in its bow so much so, that it took on water, lots of water and capsized and sank.
The Liner remained until it was sure the crew of the navy were alright and then after informing the authorities legged it out of the area to the safety of Curaçao which belongs to Holland and part of the EU. Naturally the Venezuelans aren’t impressed., but hey its not everyday you hear of a passenger liner sinking an armed naval ship. The company have issued the following statement regards the incident:
Which appears to be substantiated by the condition of the liner in Port:
