Guatemalan Vessel Escorted out of Belizean Southern Waters

On Sunday morning, March 16, the Belize Coast Guard intercepted a Guatemalan military patrol operating in Belizean waters. Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard (BCG), confirmed that “a patrol that was based out at Hunting Caye spotted a Guatemalan vessel that was inside Belizean waters.”

Bennett explained that the Coast Guard team stationed at Hunting Caye quickly deployed to intercept the Guatemalan vessel. During the encounter, “there was an exchange of information, an exchange of words between the Guatemalan navy and members of the Belize Coast Guard,” Bennett said.

The Guatemalan military officers aboard the vessel claimed they “were lost” and experiencing “mechanical issues, that they lost one of their engines, and also that they were disoriented,” according to Bennett. He added, “They did not agress our patrols.”

The Guatemalan vessel was described as smaller than usual for the area, and the officers were cooperative. “We escorted them out from that location with no problem,” Bennett stated.

When asked about potential damage to the reef, Bennett clarified that it couldn’t be confirmed. “When we intercepted that vessel, it was not on the reef; it was not near the reef, so we cannot say that they ran aground on the reef.”