Fisherman swims ashore in second in one week 

Stanley Harbour ‘jigger jumping’ incident

FOLLOWING news last week that two Vietnamese crewmen swam ashore from a Taiwanese jigger in Stanley Harbour during the afternoon of February 12, 2013, another incident occurred on the morning of February 16 when a Vietnamese crew member swam ashore from another Taiwanese jigger, reports the Falkland Islands Government.

Image: Jigger in Stanley Harbour

A statement released today said the Fisheries Department, Royal Falkland Islands Police and Customs and Immigration Service were immediately notified, and as with the previous incident (in accordance with the Protocol that was brought into effect after seven crew members swam ashore from a jigger in February 2012) the crew member was interviewed by officers of the Royal Falkland Islands Police and the Immigration Service.

The release noted: "Again, as with the previous incident, this crew member showed no signs, and made no complaint, of any maltreatment onboard his vessel towards himself or in respect of other members of the crew, and stated that his reason for coming ashore was that he also did not like the hard working conditions on board and wanted to be repatriated.

"The two crewmen from the earlier incident departed the Islands on Saturday February 16, 2013 and the crewman from the most recent occurrence is currently accommodated on shore awaiting his repatriation."

Numerous jig fishing vessels have visited Stanley Harbour over past weeks in order to obtain fishing licenses from the Falkland Islands Government.

Source: Penguin News, Falkland Islands.