Venezuela: 2011 Safety and Security Incidents

These reports are taken from http://www.wifiguy.co.cc/security.html , a website run by Robert Williams who works with cruisers and was previously based in Venezuela. Robert is now based out of St. Martin where he provides a WiFi service in the lagoon, however, he keeps up to date with Venezuela security reports via friends based there.

28th February 2011

The sailing vessel Jaxis was attacked in Porlamar harbor by armed pirates. Shots were fired and Peter (the former partner of Don’s at Jak’s restaurant) was aboard and fired back. Another sailor got involved and fired at the pirates and a flare was fired at the pirogue. In total it is believed that 13 shots were fired, Peter caught a bullet through his hand but is otherwise OK. The pirates left in a hurry without any booty and it is unknown if any of them were hit.

This from a friend of mine Dieter who was there at the time:

“They boarded him with Karl in the cockpit and Peter downstairs around 7:30 pm, Karl was on his knees with a gun at his head and a knife at the throat, when Peter saw it, he grabbed his gun and started shooting immediately. The first shot of Peter went thru the roof of his boat, the second one killed his solar panels, but it was enough to push the bad guys to a hasty retreat…..but still they shot back and were luckier as they shot Peter thru the hand. Peter was able to retrieve two of their bullets, one from the hand and one from the boat. The attackers left for the fishing village right behind us. Total bullets fired according to Peter was 13, 7 on their side, rest from the attackers. Pretty bad shots, all of them, luckily