Around 11:00 am, the Coastguard’s radar at Marinierskazerne detected a signal of a boat that was heading to Aruba. Special units were sent out in the direction of the pet cemetery to stop di boat.
After receiving the signal, Coastguard confirmed the signal with Police Force that a boat was heading to Aruba.
Marco Solognier from Coastguard said that around 1:00 am they sent out the metal shark to catch the boat that was 4 miles away. On the boat were 31 people, of whom 28 were male and 3 female. There was also a monkey aboard.
Members of the K-unit, together with their dogs, got on the boat searching for drugs. 5 warning shots were fired because the people did not want to cooperate. The boat, ‘God and Faith,’ is registered at Las Piedras, but is investigating its origins. Because the sea is quite calm these days, it is easier to cross over. The boat was small and with many people aboard, which is a big risk they are taking.
Solognier said that Coastguard, together with KPA (Police Corps Aruba), remains alert for these types of situations since the radars are working. If the community knows anything, they can always call Coastguard at 913 or their tip-line. Many things are happening on the sea lately, like the fisherman who said that 2 boats followed him.