Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá

Naiguatá (GC-23) was a 79.9-metre (262 ft) littoral patrol boat of the Venezuelan Coast Guard. The vessel was constructed by Navantia in Cádiz, Spain beginning in 2008. On 30 March 2020, the vessel rammed the cruise ship RCGS Resolute in international waters and sank.

Naiguatá during sea trials
History
Venezuela
Name: Naiguatá
Namesake: City of Naiguatá
Builder: Navantia, Cádiz, Spain
Laid down: October 2008
Launched: 24 June 2009
Sponsored by: Alma Pura de Padrón
Identification: GC-23
Status: Sunk, 30 March 2020
General characteristics
Class and type: Guaicamacuto-class patrol boat
Displacement:
  • 1,453 long tons (1,476 t) (standard)
  • 1,720 long tons (1,750 t) (full load)
Length: 79.9 m (262 ft 2 in)
Beam: 11.8 m (38 ft 9 in) (max.)[1]
Draught: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Installed power:
  • 4 × MTU 12V-1163-TB93
  • 4,440 kW (5,950 shp)
Propulsion:
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement: 34 + 30
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Surface search radar: Thales VARIANT, I - G band
  • Fire control radar: Thales STING EO, I - K band with TV/IR/Laser
  • Electro-optics: Thales MIRADOR
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × AB212, AB412, or AS565 helicopters
Aviation facilities: Landing pad[1]

Construction and career

Naiguatá was the third ship of the Guaicamacuto-class BVLs. BVL stands for "Buque de Vigilancia de Litoral", which is Spanish for littoral surveillance ship. It had a displacement of 1,720 tons.[3] It was built by Navantia in Spain at the San Fernando shipyards in Cádiz,[4] based on a standard Navantia Avante 1400 design.[5][6] The keel was laid in October 2008.[7] The ship was launched on 24 June 2009, christened by Alma Pura de Padrón[8] and named after the city of Naiguatá. The Venezuelan Navy took delivery of Naiguatá from the builder and subsequently transferred it to the Venezuelan Coast Guard. Its weapons systems consisted of one Leonardo OTO Melara 76 mm gun, one CIWS anti-aircraft/anti-missile Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun, and two 12.7 mm machine guns.[9]

Sinking

Naiguatá sank following its purposeful ramming of the polar ice class cruise liner RCGS Resolute while in international waters on 30 March 2020.[10][11] According to RCGS Resolute's owner, the Coast Guard ship had fired shots[11] and ordered the cruise ship to follow it to Margarita Island, a Venezuelan harbour.[12] Naiguatá sank following the ramming, with RCGS Resolute informing the international Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the incident and offering assistance. After staying in the area for an hour, RCGS Resolute was informed through MRCC that assistance was not required as Naiguatá's crew had been rescued by the Venezuelan Navy.[13]

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro accused the captain of the cruise ship of "piracy" and "terrorism",[14] adding later that he did not rule out that RCGS Resolute was "carrying mercenaries to attack onshore military bases".[15][16] The Venezuelan minister of defence said RCGS Resolute's action was an act of "imperial aggression".[17]

References
  1. "Navantia Avante 1400 patrol ship" (PDF). Navantia. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  2. "Wartsila Propulsion Solutions for OPVs" (PDF).
  3. Lagneau, Laurent (2 April 2020). "Un patrouilleur de la marine vénézuélienne a coulé après avoir percuté un navire de croisière". opex360 (in French). Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020. affichant 1.720 tonnes
  4. González, Miguel (29 January 2019). "España retira su apoyo al buque de guerra 'Comandante Eterno Hugo Chávez'". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2020. A diferencia de los siete anteriores, su construcción no se llevó a cabo en los astilleros de San Fernando (Cádiz), sino en los de Puerto Cabello, en el Estado de Carabobo (Venezuela)
  5. "Wayback Machine" (PDF). April 3, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-04-03.
  6. "Venezuelan Coast Guard patrol ship sinks following collision | Jane's 360". 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020.
  7. "Puesta de quilla del Tercer Buque de Vigilancia Litoral" (in Spanish). Misión Naval Venezolana en España. October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  8. "Navantia sigue entregando unidades navales para la Marina de Venezuela". Andalucía Información (in Spanish). 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020. Alma Pura de Padrón, madrina del acto, se mostró emocionada tras la botadura y cuando las sirenas de los remolcadores y del astillero isleño sonaban por el acontecimiento
  9. "El BVL Hugo Chávez fue sometido a su quinta prueba de mar - Noticias Infodefensa América". Archived from the original on 3 April 2020.
  10. "The Strange Saga of RCGS Resolute". The Maritime Executive.
  11. Gibbs, Stephen (3 April 2020). "Venezuelan navy ship sinks after ramming reinforced cruise liner". The Times. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  12. Kévin STORME (3 April 2020). "Un navire de croisière coule un patrouilleur du Vénézuela". Le Marin (in French). Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020. According to CCS, the patrol ship contacted RCGS Resolute before ordering him to follow him to Margarita Island.
  13. "Kriegsschiff rammt Passagierschiff und sinkt". Bild (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  14. Badcock, James (April 2, 2020). "Venezuelan naval vessel goes down after confrontation with Portuguese cruise ship". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  15. "Venezuelan President: Ship that is docked in Curaçao carries mercenaries to attack Venezuela". www.curacaochronicle.com.
  16. "Venezolaans marineschip naar de kelder na rammen pool-cruiseschip". Nieuwsblad Transport.
  17. Trevithick, Joseph. "This Venezuelan Patrol Ship Sunk Itself After Ramming A Cruise Liner With A Reinforced Hull". The Drive.


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