Options
News OCTOBER 2001
£1.00
SPOTLIGHT ON THE NAVY'S OLDEST - AND BIGGEST FRONT LINE SQUADRON p21-23
DRUGS . u*%^ [*1*e*r
IN SCENES reminiscent of the Royal Navy's all-action recruitment advertisement featuring HMS Sheffield, sister ship HMS Coventry forced drug smugglers to abandon cocaine worth around £80 million following a high-speed chase through cays and mangrove swamps, writes Mike Gray. Fact mirrored fiction on the evening of September 3 when the Type 22 frigate's Lynx helicopter spotted a 'go-fast' speedboat off the coast of Belize in Central America. The boat was heading towards Mexico at a speed of 37 knots, and her three powerful engines, drums of fuel and crew of four appeared suspicious to the flight crew.
ceans away HMS Ocean leaves Plymouth for a three month trip to the Mediterranean and Gulf regions. She is part of a 24 strong maritime group taking part in exercises in the biggest maritime deployment since the Falklands. See page 4.
When the boat repeatedly tailed to respond to radio contact, the chase was on. Coventry, capahle of speeds of up to 30 knots, kept in the frame as the speedboat had to slow to refuel, and the warship's Lynx buzzed the boat, forcing it to change course for the reefs and cays which pepper the Belize coast. The Lynx had to return to the frigate to refuel, and took off again just after sunset to resume the chase. By using infra-red detection equipment, the go-fast was quickly traced and the Lynx was back in the hunt. Almost an hour after launching from Coventry, the Lynx was on hand as the go-fast, which had weaved and twisted through the sandbanks and small islands of the region, beached in mangrove swamps at Hick Cay, and the four-man crew fled into the surrounding country. The Navy helicopter then guided two Belize police patrol boats to the scene, where a tonne of cocaine was recovered. Police are still hunting the crew. Lynx Flight Commander Lt Nigel Cunningham, the Lynx observer, said: "It became very clear very early on that the vessel had all the characteristics of a go-
fast. As is normal with these boats, several large fuel drums were visible on the deck, and there was a central section that could have been used to hide drugs. "The crew on board were obviously agitated as we put them under pressure." Commanding Officer of HMS Coventry, Capt Philip Jones, said: "We have sent a very clear message to all those who participate in this deadly trade of drugs. "This operation saw each element of the counterdrugs effort at sea - warship, helicopter, patrol boats and co-ordinating shore headquarters - being used to best effect. "It has been a text hook example of the way in which many international agencies can work together effectively." Lord Bach, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: "I am delighted HMS Coventry has achieved such a significant result in the fight against drug-trafficking, and this seizure is testament to the hard work and close co-ordination of the many forces working together to prevent the passage of drugs. "My congratulations go out to the Commanding Officer and ship's company." HMS Coventry took over in the Caribbean from HMS Sheffield at the end of July, and should be back in her home port of Devonport at the end of the year. Lt Turn to page 19
• STUDENTS TAKE TO THE WATER p8 • LETTERS p6-7 • SEA CADETS p40-41