In the port of Venezuela on suspicion of smuggling weapons detained by
the command of the American cargo ship "ocean Atlas (Ocean Atlas),
informs Reuters. The reason for the detention was the discovery during a
search of three rifles. According to the team, the weapon was taken on
Board for protection from possible pirate attack. It is standard
practice for the trade.
Reuters quotes the words of one of the
team members, who wished to remain anonymous. He sent on the address of
the Agency e-mail with a description of the provisions of the crew, and
also wrote about this on the personal page in Facebook. Later
correspondent Forbes found in the social network notes on how the
situation is developing on the ship. Their author was Russell Macomber
(Russell Macomber), one of the team members, who had access to the
Internet from your smartphone. Excerpts from available only friends
entries on the page Макомбера in Facebook Forbes published with the
permission of the author on his web site.
"Ocean Atlas" entered
the port of the second largest city of Venezuela Maracaibo, located in
the North-West of the country, on Wednesday, August 29. According to
Макомбера, four hours later, the ship rose employees of the Venezuelan
security forces, which took away the passports of the members of the
crew, locked people in the cabins and made a search, presumably,
suspecting command in drug smuggling.
In the course of search of
drugs have not been found, but the police found three rifles, which,
according to Reuters, were included in the Declaration of cargo and
stayed on the Board for the purpose of safety for protection in the
event of a pirate attack. The police banned the crew leave the vessel,
postponing the investigation for the following week.
Commenting
on the situation, Macomber accused Venezuelan service that conducted the
search of the employees was stolen from the ship a box of cigarettes
and ate a lot of ice cream.
On Wednesday, 5 September there was
held the interrogation of the captain, ended his arrest. In this time
team members held in the aft part of the ship under armed guard.
According to the representative of the Embassy, it is unknown what was
the captain, as well as whether the accused the rest of the 14
Americans, remaining on Board. It was reported that they would be
required to give evidence to the local authorities on the morning of 7
September.
In his Facebook Macomber has repeatedly called upon to
ensure that the situation drew the attention of us authorities.
Meanwhile, according to the Agency, September 6 at the scene of the
events has arrived the representative of the American Embassy, who said
that will constantly accompany the team. Also with the crew contacted
the international Union of seafarers, which have assured, that are
actively working on the resolution of the situation, as well as
guarantee the security of the seafarers.
How and with what cargo the vessel arrives at the Venezuelan port, not reported.
In
August the President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez told about the detention
of an American citizen, who arrived from Colombia. Head of state called
him an American mercenary, accused of involvement in a plot aimed at
destabilizing the situation in the country in case of loss of the
opposition at the presidential elections on October 7, and promised "to
increase vigilance".
Chavez has repeatedly stated that the United
States find a way to eliminate it. Caracas and Washington broke
diplomatic relations in 2010.
