MONTEVIDEO -- On January 13, the Uruguayan Navy reported that its naval frigate the ROU O1 Uruguay acting in conjunction with a B-200 T of the Marine Infantry Command had captured a civilian vessel flying the Brazilian flag said to be carrying out illegal fishing operations in Uruguayan territorial waters.
The fishing boat, named the Tatuira, reportedly attempted to evade the ROU 01 after being spotted conducting illegal fishing activities 70 nautical miles northeast of the city of la Paloma in Southeastern Uruguay, causing the ROU 01 to fire multiple warning shots in order to ultimately seize control of the vessel. The Tatuira's captured crew of 10 sailors, and the attendant cargo, have subsequently been passed to the authority of Uruguay's Water Resources Office.