After three days of preliminary questions, the trial regarding the drug seizure aboard the 'Karar' faced the beginning of a key phase on April 22: the interrogations of the accused. The 14 crew members from Nepal and Bangladesh of the ship, which was transporting the 3.8 tons of cocaine, who will be released this week after four years in prison at the end of the maximum period of preventive detention, will be the first to testify. In the session, six of them already did so, including the captain, who, like the rest, confessed his guilt. Alim Ullah, the 48-year-old Bangladeshi, acknowledged that, after leaving Panama, they loaded the drugs on the high seas off the coast of Colombia and that the instructions were to take them to Vigo, where they were to land it about 350 nautical miles from the Olívic city. Along with the crew, Bueu resident José Manuel Blanco Gestido was on the ship, the only Spaniard on board, whom the captain and the other defendants who testified have incriminated by indicating that he was in charge of supervising the illicit cargo. Given the exceptional situation that the entire foreign crew was experiencing due to their imminent release – the maximum period of deprivation of liberty expires on April 25 at dawn – the prosecutor accepted that the interrogations of the 28 accused would begin with these sailors. The intention of their defense lawyers – given that, lacking economic means and roots in Spain, they will be welcomed in shelters spread across several Galician provinces – is to be excused from attending the trial sessions until the final day. Alim Ullah, the captain, was the first to testify. With the help of an interpreter. He confessed his participation in the drug trafficking operation that failed when at 6:20 a.m. on April 25, 2020, the “Karar” was boarded with the cache inside. The rest of the interrogated crew members also admitted their guilt: Mohammed Iman Sharif, Mohammed Ataur Rahman, Altaf Hossain, Mahfuzul Hoque and Tamang Kiran, all from Bangladesh except the last one, a Nepalese, as well as the remaining eight sailors who was to testify on April 23. All initially face, according to the prosecutor's provisional qualification document, 13,5 years in prison. They related how on the bridge of the “Karar” there was a nautical chart with the coordinates in pencil about the unloading point. When they left their countries of origin, several of them stressed, they were unaware that the voyage was to transport drugs, but already in Panama, where they left, they knew the illicit purpose of the trip and knew that they were carrying bales of cocaine on the ship. Another crew member reported that, after several days of crossing, they loaded the drugs in front of Colombia, a task that took them one or two hours. Other defendants gave more details about this moment, such as the electrician, the only one who did not need an interpreter. To load the bales they used a crane. It was the middle of the night, they were on the high seas and several boats with the drugs approached them. The only Galician who was on board wrote down with a pen in a book and all the bundles were stored in a tank, which was closed with screws and nuts. that Blanco Gestido, he said, secured with a flange. The Nepalese Tamang Kiran was the one who had contact with the outside world through satellite phone. He was speaking with a compatriot named Lama: he is not prosecuted in the case, but, according to the statements, he was one of the leaders in the illicit operation. Settled between Panama and Colombia, he was at the meeting prior to the departure of the “Karar”. Report with photo: https://www.farodevigo.es/gran-vigo/2024/04/22/capitan-karar-confiesa-cargaron-cocaina-colombia-destino-vigo-101392831.html
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CROWN SEAWAYS
On April 21, 2024, a person needed to be medevaced from the 'Crown Seaways', which was en route from Copenhagen to Oslo at that time, and sailing in Swedish waters. At 12.28 a.m. zhe Danish Defense Rescue Center was contacted by the crew of the ferry. As the ship was in Swedish waters, the medevac was further handled by the Swedish rescue centre.
MISSUNDE III
Due to the ongoing problems with the 'Missunde III', the prececessor ferry “Missunde II” returned to operation on the Schlei. The State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection (LKN) had already sold the old ferry for a scrap value of 17,000 Euros. During test operations, various problems arose when using the new, significantly larger ferry. The authority has now bought back the old diesel ferry for around 50,000 Euros. Since last week it has been operating again on its old route between Kosel and Brodersby. 3.3 million Euros were spent on the new ferry with electric propulsion and solar cells on the roof. The new ferry was originally scheduled to start operating in April 2023. But the transfer from the shipyard in Derben initially failed due to delivery difficulties, then due to low water on the Elbe and finally due to flooding on the Schlei. A January opening date was canceled due to additional work on the jetties. The new start date was March 2024. But further problems arose during test sailings which have shown that some modifications were necessary to the ferry's cable guide. The ferry can no longer be docked when the wind is three to four Beaufort. While the old ship, which is 21 meters long, has a load capacity of 22.5 tons, the new, 34 meter long ferry can transport 45 tons. so it is almost twice as big. The rope is obviously under heavy strain due to the greater weight. In order to be able to catch the much larger new ferry even in stronger winds and guide it safely to the ramps, additional thicker bollards are required. In order to be able to ram this, a soil report is first required. In addition, another rope will be laid through the Schlei. and the “Missunde III” will also receive bow and stern thrusters. Two rows of dolphins on the route across the Schlei are intended to make maneuvering the ferry easier. To do this, the fairway will have to be narrowed.
COLOR MAGIC
On April 19 a person needed to be medevaced from the 'Color Magic', which was en route from Oslo to Kiel in Danish waters. At 06.33 a.m. the patient was hoisted from the ferry by a helicopter of the Danish Defence and transported to shore for further medical treatment.
Recife
An accident occurred with a ship loader at the sugar terminal in the port of Recife on April 19, 2024. The loader collapsed. and a part of the machine fell into the cargo hold of a ship that was docked at the port to load raw sugar. No one was injured. Experts were assessing the situation. and there was no timeline yet for repairs. The collapsed ship loader was the only one at the terminal, run by Sindacucar. There were currently three vessels waiting to load 71,000 metric tons of raw sugar at the port. The buyers of the sugar were Louis Dreyfus, Tate & Lyle and ASR, destined for the United States and Portugal. The port was evaluating ways to complete loading of the currently docked vessel, as well as alternatives to loading any other vessels.