Press Release, Belmopan, Belize. October 17th, 2016 – The Government of Belize (GOB) wishes to inform the public that six Belizeans were detained earlier this afternoon by a Guatemalan coastal patrol vessel, while they were fishing in the Gulf of Honduras.
The Guatemalan coastal patrol vessel intercepted the Belizeans in an area at sea at a point between the mouth of the Moho River, Toledo District, Belize and Punta de Manabique, Izabal, Guatemala. The Guatemalan Navy claimed that the Belizeans were illegally fishing in Guatemala.
After prompt intervention and coordination by Belizean diplomatic and military officials, along with their Guatemalan counterparts, the Belizeans were thereafter released and returned to the location where they were first encountered.
GOB has confirmed that the six Belizeans are now safely back in the town of Punta Gorda, where they will be debriefed by Belizean security officials to ascertain all the facts surrounding the incident.
