On Thursday August 23, the Defence Force received information that two
foreign vessels were spotted by Bahamian fishermen and locals around
10:00 am approximately two nautical miles east of Cape Santa Maria, Long
Island. An RBDF patrol craft that was in the southern Bahamas was
directed to investigate the report following a confirmed sighting by an
RBDF aircraft, which was on patrol in the area.

Under the command
of Senior Lieutenant Grere Martin, the RBDF aircraft sighted the
reported vessels near Long Island later that day.  Subsequently, HMBS
Lignum Vitae, under the command of Senior Lieutenant Bertram Bowleg,
intercepted and boarded the vessels off Long Island later that evening…