Experts Alarmed Over Discovery Near The Galápagos Islands

Almost 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador lies the Galapagos Islands. The islands are invaluable due to their diverse range of plant and wildlife species, many of which can't be found anywhere else on the planet. But one day in the middle of 2020, the UNESCO World Heritage Site was rapidly approached by a barrage of foreign and very unwelcome ships that had the potential to forever damage the island's already fragile ecosystem.

Making Headlines

Lenín Moreno, the President of Ecuador, took to Twitter in July of 2020 to post a video about the Galapagos Islands. He stated that the site is “one of the richest fishing areas and a seedbed of life for the entire planet.” But what prompted the president to create awareness about the nature site?

On High Alert

The president's alarm traced back to suspicious activities picked up by the Ecuadorian navy that occurred near the site. Unfortunately, the precious group of islands has seen its fair share of danger over the years, with 2017 marking the most recent emergency.

The Invasion

On August 13, 2017, the Ecuadorian navy discovered an unidentified ship crossed into the protected waters of the Galapagos Islands. Not only was this ship entering illegally into the world heritage site's proximity, but it was unclear what kind of cargo this enormous vessel had onboard. Both the Ecuadorian government and conservation organizations knew that they had to act fast.

The Identity Of Those Onboard

After the Ecuadorian navy apprehended the vessel, it was identified as the Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999. The ship, manned by Chinese nationals, carried over 300 tons of fish in its freezers. Soon enough, it was clear that illegally crossing into the waters of the Galapagos was just one of several crimes they'd committed.