In an unprecedented operation, Chilean authorities have confiscated four foreign yachts that were taking paying guests on cruises in the Strait of Magellan and to Antarctica in contravention of current regulations. The ships had originally entered the country as private boats with tourist visas, but their owners then began to offer lucrative trips for sums of up to 14 million pesos (around 14,000 euros) per person. The tours led from Puerto Natales, Puerto Williams and Punta Arenas to the Antarctic and even to Valdivia.
Multi-agency operation
Chilean customs, the navy and the criminal investigation department (PDI) were involved in the operation. They discovered that the yachts, which had initially entered the country as tourist boats, were illegally offering commercial services. The authorities emphasised the uniqueness of this operation in Chile and announced that they would continue to strictly monitor such activities in the future.
High penalties and consequences
The owners of the yachts were hit with heavy fines. One of them has already paid over 70 million pesos (around 70,000 euros) to release his ship and allow him to leave the country with it.
Reinhold Andronoff, regional director of customs in Punta Arenas, explained: "The ships will remain impounded until the fines have been paid. One of the four owners has already done so and was allowed to leave the country, albeit with a strict ban on future charter trips in Chilean waters. To be allowed to do this, foreign owners must obtain the relevant authorisations."
Endangering tourists
In the view of the authorities, the foreign charter providers were not only violating customs and immigration laws, but were also jeopardising the safety of tourists. The paying co-sailors were claimed to be experienced crew members, although some of them had no nautical experience whatsoever. In addition, from the authorities' point of view, they were accommodated in inadequate conditions, which jeopardised both their personal safety and the development of tourism in the region.
Lucrative illegal business model
The operators of the yachts offered trips lasting several days in the Tierra del Fuego region, around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. They advertised the beauty of the Chilean fjords and the fact that their yachts were equipped for long voyages and had all the necessary licences for the Antarctic.
One of the confiscated yachts, the Panamanian-flagged "El Doblón", belongs to the company Alegría Marineros Expediciones, which advertised online with the slogan: "Sailing with us is not a simple boat trip; it is a complete immersion in life on board. There are no tourists here, only adventurers who want to learn, participate and feel what it means to face the sea, the wind and the decisions of each day."
Regulatory vigilance and consequences
The authorities became suspicious when the yachts applied for a "temporary authorisation without commercial purposes" on arrival in Chile - a common procedure for private boats just passing through Chile. Experts from the General Directorate of Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine and the regional customs office in Punta Arenas raised the alarm when unusual applications appeared, such as authorisation for a large crew change on arrival in port.
