SHIPPING

Surveillance Aircraft Assists in Joint Fiji-France EEZ Patrol

There have been a lot of sightings of fishing vessels in the western side of Fiji that is why we are concentrating in that zone.
20 Feb 2019 13:02
Surveillance Aircraft Assists in Joint Fiji-France EEZ Patrol
Falcon 200 Gardin surveillance aircraft (top left) alerting a fgishing vessel (left) while assisting in the joint Fiji-France EEZ patrol exercise.

French naval vessel La Glorieuse, accompanied by a Falcon 200 Gardian surveillance aircraft assisted Fijian naval vessel Kikau comb the western side of Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) the third day yesterday before heading back to New Caledonia.

Republic of Fiji Navy Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Timoci Natuva confirmed that apart from yesterday’s joint surveillance, two Fijian naval officers were part of two separate aerial surveillance on board the Falcon 200 Gardian last week.

The two Fijians were Petty Officer Jikoduadua who had boarded the Falcon 200 Gardian on Wednesday, February 13 and Ordinary Seaman Laliqavoka who flew out on Thursday while La Glorieuse and Kikau were out at sea within the same area.

La Glorieuse then berthed at Lautoka wharf on Friday be­fore departing today for the joint surveillance starting from the Yasawa waters.

Aerial surveillance with a Fiji Navy official.

Aerial surveillance with a Fiji Navy official.

The Falcon 200 Gardian landed at Nausori airport for its three-day rest from Friday before the final lap of the sg Kikau and La Glorieuse surveillance yesterday.

“We concentrated on the western side this time because there has been a concentration of fishing vessels between Fiji and Vanuatu,” LCDR Natuva said.

“Today (yesterday) Kikau covered North West of Fiji, La Glorieuse covered South West while Gardian provided the aerial surveillance,” he said.

There have been a lot of sightings of fishing vessels in the western side of Fiji that is why we are concentrating in that zone.”

LCDR Natuva said while he cannot confirm their next joint surveillance programme Fiji was fortunate to have engaged in similar joint exercises with Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America.

Under the command of LCDR Josefa Tunidau, Kikau with a crew of 25 naval officers was expected back at base last night.

Based at New Caledonia, French patrol boat La Glorieuse was initially on a rou­tine check of patrolling the French over­seas territory waters of New Caledonia including Wallis and Futuna and Tonga.

Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 South Pacific islands, many uninhabited. The New Caledonia based French navy looks after its EEZ.

Apart from the Fiji-France EEZ joint surveillance, La Glorieuse and Falcon 200 Gardian surveillance aircraft had stopped over at the Lautoka wharf and Nausori airport to replenish their sup­plies and to also refuel.

Under the command of LCDR Julien Feutey this is La Glorieuese’s second visit in two months.

The vessel had arrived at the Suva har­bour on December 7 for a three day visit to Suva before returning to her home port of Noumea, New Caledonia.

Commanding Off icer, LT Julien Feurtey and his 29-member crew were welcomed to Suva by the Chargé d’Affaire a.i Jean-Louis Roth at Suva’s Princess Wharf

Subscribe-to-Newspaper