The national government has undertaken to remove two small boats that have remained anchored in the Bay of Las Galletas. The Arona City Council reported yesterday that it expects the removal of these vessels to be carried out “as soon as possible” following the response from the central Government Sub-delegation in the province, the authority with the relevant powers, expressing its intention to take the necessary actions to facilitate their transfer. The two small boats have been anchored in front of the Marina port under the jurisdiction of Puertos Canarios for over two months.
This communication follows the written request from the Mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, for the removal of these vessels due to the risk they pose “for the cleanliness of the waters,” as detailed by the City Council in a statement. In these cases, the usual practice is to tow these vessels to the Port of Los Cristianos, which falls under the purview of the state, taking into account that the Arona municipal council does not have the means or the authority in this matter.
With this request to the Sub-delegation, the work carried out by the Arona City Council in seeking authorizations for the removal of vessels arriving due to migration continues, after the destruction of two canoes that were found on Las Galletas beach in compliance with a court order last January.
These two vessels had landed in Las Galletas in the first half of last year, making it the legal responsibility of the municipality of Arona, in contrast to those rescued at high sea, which fall under the jurisdiction of the State. It took the City Council 10 months to obtain the permits.
