Luis Hernández said that the radar has a damage in the mechanism system for the rotation of the antenna. The origin of the outbreak has not yet been established.
Other teams are supplying the radar coverage that was affected by an explosion on the Montecristi hill, in Manabí.
Defense Minister Luis Hernández said on Tuesday 9 that the lack of operation of said equipment is already being temporarily fulfilled with other similar implements to continue with the air control of that coastal area of Ecuadorian territory.
Specified that airspace supervision is carried out with radars that are placed from marine vessels and others of the Army’s air defense system in different areas of the coast.
So far, Hernández told Ecuavisa that the radar has a damage in the mechanism system for the rotation of the antenna, however, the origin of the explosion has not yet been established, so a possible attack with an artifact is not ruled out.
He added that they are awaiting the reports requested from the National Police and the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE). In parallel, the Ministry of Defense opened another investigation regarding the case.
Last Monday, the 8th, Antonio Puga, commander of the Air Operations and Defense Command of the Armed Forces, added that he presented a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate and find those responsible for the event, including accomplices and accessories in the case of so that it will be within the FAE and establish the causes of the explosion that affected the radar. The time it will take for the device to resume operations was not specified.
In the last ten days, during the time of radar operations, no suspicious aircraft were detected in the area.
Drug trafficking route
Manabí is an important area as a route for drug trafficking operations, either by air or by sea. During the last weeks, significant shipments have been detected. The day after, the National Navy reported on Tuesday the 9th about a new seizure of drugs at sea. In total 46 packages were thrown into the sea by subjects who were transported in a speedboat off the coast of Esmeraldas, according to the naval entity.
Cristian Fiallos, commander of the coast guard station located in Manta, said that the operation in which the National Police participated was carried out since last Sunday when the presence of a boat was detected that was moving in an area located 140 nautical miles from Manta towards the north of the country.
After the detection of a plane from the Manta Naval Air Station, the people transporting the drugs threw the packages into the water with a satellite buoy and subsequently fled.
The packages were adrift and elements of the Navy since last Sunday were in charge of the collection of the 46 bags, as well as 5 fuel cans that ended up abandoned in the water. (I)
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