The Command of the Guardia Civil in Huelva is in mourning after the death of two agents in the line of duty during an operation against drug trafficking in the waters of the Huelva coastline.
The victims have been identified as Germán, a 55-year-old civil guard and resident of El Rompido, and Jerónimo, a captain linked to Maritime Rescue, both with extensive experience in maritime operations.
A chase that ends in a fatal accident
The event occurred this Friday about 70 miles off the coast of Huelva, in the vicinity of Cádiz, when a radar detected a drug-trafficking boat and an interception device was activated.
In the operation, two vessels from the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard have participated. During the maneuver, and under circumstances still under investigation, a collision between both official vessels occurred, caused by high speed and the complexity of the operation.
The impact has resulted fatal for the two agents involved. Two other members of the operation were injured, one of them seriously and another with minor injuries.
Two veterans in the fight against drug trafficking
Germán was considered an experienced agent, described by his colleagues as a "veteran with a lot of experience", very knowledgeable about the Huelva coast, where he had developed a large part of his career.
Jerónimo, for his part, was a captain with years of service in high-risk maritime operations, involved in the coordination of operations against drug trafficking in the southern peninsula.
Both were part of the usual surveillance teams in one of the most active areas of maritime drug trafficking.
Mourning in the Civil Guard and investigation open
The Civil Guard has lamented the loss of its two colleagues in the line of duty and has conveyed its condolences to the families and its support to the injured agents.
The Armed Institute has indicated that the event occurred in the context of an active operation against drug trafficking and that an investigation has already been opened to clarify the exact circumstances of the collision.