The crew of the “Ventôse” boarded a Venezuelan fishing vessel 820 miles northeast of Martinique on May 27, 2024. 81 bales with 2,4 tons of cocaine were discovered on board. The operation was carried out on the basis of information transmitted by the General Directorate of Customs in association with the anti-narcotics office Ofast. After a relocation phase by its on-board Panther helicopter, the crew proceeded to board the ship. The crew members and the cargo were returned to the Venezuelan authorities at sea. This seventh seizure of the year 2024 brings the FAA's toll to more than 12 tons of narcotics. At the beginning of May, the 'Ventôse' and the Antilles-Guyane patrol boat 'La Résolue' intercepted two ships carrying dozens of bales of cocaine. Traffic on the rise
News
ICON OF THE SEAS
A man was rescued after jumping into the sea from the 'Icon of the Seas' on the morning of May 26, 2024, as the ship sailed towards Roatan, Honduras, one day after departing from Miami, Florida, for a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise, approximately 40 miles north of Santa Lucia, Cuba. The vessel deviated its course to launch a rescue craft to locate the man overboard. An announcement was made stating that the man was recovered shortly after the rescue craft had been launched. He was in the ship’s intensive care unit with his family. The ship was due to arrive in the first port of call, Roatan, early on May 27. Report with photos: https://cruiseradio.net/man-in-critical-condition-after-jumping-from-worlds-largest-cruise-ship/
CG MUNRO
The crew of the 'Munro (WMSL 755)' offloaded approximately 33,768 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $468 million, on May 21, 2024, in San Diego. The offload was a result of eight separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutter in February and March. Reports with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3788220/media-advisory-coast-guard-to-offload-approximately-33768-pounds-of-cocaine-in/ https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3789060/multimedia-release-coast-guard-crew-offloads-468-million-worth-of-cocaine-in-sa/
VENTURA
The 'Ventura' was met at the port of Southampton after its return on May 25 at 6 a.m. for a deep cleaning after an unconfirmed number of passengers fell ill with sickness and diarrhoea onboard during the 14-night voyage around the Canary Islands which had included stops in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. 0.64 per cent of passengers were symptomatic on May 22, and those who were still symptomatic on arrival, disembarked later than other passengers. An enhanced sanitation of the ship was carried out on May 17 in Tenerife, however Southampton Port Health Authority assisted the vessel once it was back at port, undertaking a cleaning programme of all spaces onboard. The P&O Cruises vessel was scheduled to set sail for a seven-night cruise around Spain and Portugal later in the day, which was delayed to 11 p.m. Passengers booked on the week-long voyage have been asked to arrive four hours later than planned to make time for sanitation.
COSTA TOSCANA
On May 27, 2024, the 'Costa Toscana' requested the medevac of a passenger 10 nautical miles East of Palamós. The CCS Barcelona of Salvamento Marítimo deplopyed the SAR boat 'Salvamar Sirius', which which placed itself next to the ship and embarked the patient, a family member and a nurse.