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.