MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan Navy arrests Chinese jigger which tried to flee arrest

When jiggers turned the lights on to catch squid the ROU 23 “Maldonado” patrol vessel was sent for them on Sunday evening.

The Uruguayan navy arrested Monday dawn a Chinese flagged jigger caught illegally fishing in the country's EEZ. The arrest was done following a night chase as the jigger tried to escape despite having first accepted a party of inspectors to board the vessel.

On Saturday the Tactical Operations center from the Uruguayan navy fleet detected several fishing vessels operating in the EEZ A naval aircraft sent to verity the position effectively located the vessels, some 150 nautical miles to the Southeast of Maldonado.

When jiggers turned the lights on to catch squid the ROU 23 “Maldonado” patrol vessel was sent for them on Sunday evening. Apparently one of the Chinese vessel the  Lu Rong Yuan Yu 606 accepted the order to stop activities and allow a search party on board, but as the Zodiacs approached, she decided to flee.

The patrol vessel chased the jigger until it was caught early morning Monday, and is now being escorted to Montevideo, expected to arrive Tuesday morning when the official investigation of the incident will begin, according to the official release from the Uruguayan navy.