Mine destroys fishing boat

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 6

Mine destroys fishing boat

NZPA-Reuter Managua A Nicaraguan fishing boat was destroyed yesterday in a mine blast, prompting fresh protests to the United States that the Central Intelligence Agency (C.1.A.) was continuing to mine Nicaraguan ports. The Foreign Ministry said that the boat had sunk after hitting a mine in the Pacific port of Corinto, 60 nautical miles north west of Managua.

The Vice-Foreign Minister, Mr Jose Leon Talavera, said that the crew had escaped unhurt from the SUSSOO,OOO ($NZ765,000) boat, which had been destroyed. A new protest Note to the United States alleged that light assault craft launched from United States “mother ships” were continuing to mine Nicaraguan ports, “despite ... condemnation by the world community, the U.S. Congress, and international organisations.”

The C.l.A.’s admission last month that it had been directly active in mining

Nicaraguan ports sparked heated United States Congressional debate on Reagan Administration support for rebels trying to oust the Left-wing Nicaraguan Government. United States officials have said that C.I.A. activity in the mining would cease.

Eleven other vessels have been damaged by the mines, including a Soviet oil tanker, a Liberian freighter carrying molasses, and a Panamanian dredge.

Earlier yesterday Nicaragua sent another protest to the United States saying that new C.I.A. mining attempts were afoot and that a light assault craft of the sort used in previous mining raids had approached Corinto on Tuesday, only to be repelled. Another craft had fired machine-guns and mortars at the northern port of Potosi, the Foreign Ministry said.

The two ports have been targets of frequent air and sea attacks,