WILLEMSTAD - Last night the Center for Rescue and Coordination (RCC) of the Coast Guard detected a contact on the radar that was on its way to the entrance of the "Spaanse Water". The RCC directed the Coast Guard helicopter to the location to identify the contact. Upon arrival, the helicopter crew saw a boat with 17 people on board. Upon seeing the Coast Guard helicopter, all the passengers of the boat jumped overboard and swam to shore. The RCC immediately informed other partners in the judicial chain and sent them to the site to reinforce the Coast Guard group. Thanks to the good cooperation between the Coast Guard, the Customs and the Police, all 17 undocumented persons, 15 men and 2 women, were arrested.
The Coast Guard will continue with its intensified patrols to avoid landings like those of the previous night as much as possible. The Defense will give support to the Coast Guard with patrols of the station ship Zr.Ms. Zeeland. The patrols will continue unabated inside and outside the territorial waters of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.