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The chase continued like that for 2 and a half hours. Operations Officer, Lieutenant Greg Soberanis narrated the event for us:...

Lieutenant Greg Soberanis - Belize Coast Guard
"Coast Guard received a report from members of the fishing community that one of their vessels was being robbed just about 20 miles south east from here. The vessel escaped into the creek in the area of Middle Long Caye. We immediately deployed our standby unit from this location and upon arrival at the scene we were informed by the fishermen whose product was taken that the men were hiding somewhere in the immediate vicinity. The patrol conducted a search of the area but the said vessel and occupants were not seen in that particular area. The patrol continued their search and on their way back to base the vessel that was given to us as it relates to its description was sighted. We approach the vessel and immediately the vessel took off. A hot pursuit ensued where the vessel conducted evasive maneuvers trying to elude the coast guard patrol. Eventually the vessel after about an hour and a half of pursuit the vessel became what was believe to be dead in the waters; if though they had either ran out of gas or they had experience engine failure, but this was not the case. What in reality was happening was that they were allowing the coast guard patrol to come into contact range and as soon as we came into close proximity of the vessel we were fired upon. Immediately members the coast guard patrol took cover and return fire. The vessel then sped off again, began conducting evasive maneuvers - this was a small vessel and what they did was that they maneuver themselves in the shoals along the reef. We immediately call in to base and requested additional support. Eventually the vessel made one mistake; it eventually tried to makes its way back to Middle Long Caye. What we believe they were trying to do is to reach the creek area where it would have been difficult for our vessel to go into, but with the skill sets that our cockson have, the cockson was able to out maneuver the small boat and eventually they were halted, stopped and the pirates were eventually apprehended."

"This piracy in our waters is becoming very rampant and it is something that the coast guard has increased our patrolling efforts - we are become more aggressive in our patrolling efforts in trying to identify and locate the criminal element that are out there harassing the local fishermen who are trying to make a living."

The three men are now in police custody. We'll have more on them tomorrow.