Among those rescued are eight women, 26 men and seven minors.
Three Colombians were arrested for the alleged crime of migrant smuggling.
Coast Guard units of the Colombian Navy, during a sea control operation, safeguarded the lives of 41 irregular migrants who were sailing in a precarious boat, apparently bound for the neighboring country of Panama.
The operation took place when, thanks to the maritime surveillance work carried out by the Naval Institution in the region, a suspicious ship sailing at high speed was detected approximately two kilometers from Sapzurro - Chocó department. Immediately, a Rapid Reaction Unit – URR of the Coast Guard Station of Urabá was sent, which found the boat in a few minutes and carried out the interception procedure.
During the search of the boat, three Colombian nationals were found by troops, apparently crew members of the boat and in charge of taking the migrants to foreign territory. In the same way, 13 Armenian citizens, 12 Indians, 12 Iranians, and four Vietnamese were found by troops; 41 people, including eight were women, 26 men, and seven minors.
Once the search was completed, the personnel were taken to the dock of the Urabá Coast Guard Station, where their health status was verified. Subsequently, the foreigners were put into custody of Migración Colombia, while the three crew members, along with the boat, were taken into custody of the authorities for the alleged crime of migrant smuggling, in accordance with article 188 of the Colombian Criminal Code: “Anyone who promotes, induces, constrains, facilitates, finances, collaborates or in any other way participates in the entry or exit of people of the country, without compliance with the legal requirements, with the aim of profiting or any other benefit for himself or another person.”
Source: Press – Navy of Colombia
