Two Soviet-era fighter planes found on N. Korea ship

[Manindra]

North Korean Chong Chon Gang vessel, where an ageing Soviet-built radar control system for surface-to-air missiles was found, at the Manzanillo Port in Colon,

Panamanian authorities have found two Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets aboard a North Korea-flagged ship seized this month as it tried to pass through the Panama Canal after departing from Cuba.
The supersonic jets were found alongside missile and other weapons parts concealed in a shipment of sugar, in what could constitute a violation of tough UN sanctions on Pyongyang.
Cuba has claimed the shipment, intercepted earlier this month, consists of "obsolete" weapons it was sending to North Korea to be refurbished and returned.
UN sanctions experts plan to travel to Panama to inspect the shipment on August 5.
Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli said the two jets, anti-aircraft missile batteries and other parts have been found on board.
"Apparently these aircraft were in use because they had fuel," he said during a visit to the port of Manzanillo, where the boat is being unloaded.
The 35-man crew of the North Korea-flagged Chong Chon Gang have been detained and could face arms trafficking charges.
The UN Security Council has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons program.
North Korea has insisted the shipment is entirely legitimate and demanded the release of the crew members.
Cuba is the only one-party communist state in the Americas and a rare ally of North Korea.

More Info

 

[Silverblaze]

Had the soviet union existed, Panama would have thought ten times before stopping the shipment.

 

[visom]

Uh oh, north korea's ultimate weapon has been discovered!

 

[third eye]

Panama Finds Soviet MiG Fighters on Seized N. Korea Ship

RIA Novosti

20:21 22/07/2013

WASHINGTON, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - Investigators in Panama discovered two Soviet-built MiG-21 fighter jets while unloading a North Korean ship that was seized last week with 240 tons of concealed weapons parts on board as it tried to enter the Panama Canal en route to North Korea from Cuba, media reports said Monday.

'Apparently these aircraft were in use because they had fuel,' Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli was quoted by Agence France-Presse news agency as saying during a visit to the Atlantic port city of Manzanillo on Sunday, where the boat's cargo was being unloaded.

The two supersonic fighter jets, originally produced by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s, were found in containers alongside two missile radar systems, Martinelli was quoted as saying.

Panamanian officials stopped the 510-foot (155 –meter) North Korea-flagged Chong Chon Gang a week ago on suspicion it was carrying drugs, but instead found a huge stash of weapons parts hidden beneath sacks of sugar.

Cuba said the weapons were obsolete and were being sent to North Korea to be refurbished before being returned to Cuba.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that the vessel was also carrying two anti-aircraft missile complexes and the two Mig-21 Bis, along with 15 motors for those planes.

The BBC cited Panamanian officials as saying seven containers had been unloaded from the ship and opened, but more are believed to be still hidden beneath the ship's official cargo of sugar.

Martinelli was quoted by the BBC as saying the ship was thought to have 27 containers on board.

Panama last week charged the ship's captain and 35 crew members with 'attempts against Panama's security' and 'illegally transporting undeclared military equipment.'

The concealed weapons parts -- and now the two fighter jets found on the ship -- may also be a violation of the UN arms embargo imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.

Panama has asked the UN Security Council to investigate, and UN sanctions experts are expected to travel to Panama on August 5 to conduct a probe.

The ship, built in 1977 and registered to the state-owned, Pyongyang-based Chongchongang Shipping Company, 'has a long history of detentions for safety deficiencies and other undeclared reasons,' including suspected drug and ammunition trafficking, USAToday cited global shipping agency Lloyd's List as saying.

In 2010, the North Korean vessel was stopped by Ukrainian authorities in the Black Sea "for reasons that are unclear," USAToday said.

According to the BBC, the Chong Chon Gang began its latest voyage in Russia's far east in mid-April. Bound for Cuba, it entered the Panama Canal from the Pacific side in early June but disappeared from satellite tracking systems after exiting the canal on the Atlantic side.

After re-appearing on tracking systems July 11, it was stopped and searched near Manzanillo on July 15, when Panamanian officials found its cargo of contraband weapons parts, hidden beneath 10,000 tons of sugar.

 

[hunter_hunted]

This jet is the game changer alas it got into enemy hands. Now North koreans I means Yin Young Un is doomed

 

[Glitcher]

LOL its not like they were some high tech jets

Panama Finds Soviet MiG Fighters on Seized N. Korea Ship

RIA Novosti

20:21 22/07/2013

WASHINGTON, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - Investigators in Panama discovered two Soviet-built MiG-21 fighter jets while unloading a North Korean ship that was seized last week with 240 tons of concealed weapons parts on board as it tried to enter the Panama Canal en route to North Korea from Cuba, media reports said Monday.

'Apparently these aircraft were in use because they had fuel,' Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli was quoted by Agence France-Presse news agency as saying during a visit to the Atlantic port city of Manzanillo on Sunday, where the boat's cargo was being unloaded.

The two supersonic fighter jets, originally produced by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s, were found in containers alongside two missile radar systems, Martinelli was quoted as saying.

Panamanian officials stopped the 510-foot (155 –meter) North Korea-flagged Chong Chon Gang a week ago on suspicion it was carrying drugs, but instead found a huge stash of weapons parts hidden beneath sacks of sugar.

Cuba said the weapons were obsolete and were being sent to North Korea to be refurbished before being returned to Cuba.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that the vessel was also carrying two anti-aircraft missile complexes and the two Mig-21 Bis, along with 15 motors for those planes.

The BBC cited Panamanian officials as saying seven containers had been unloaded from the ship and opened, but more are believed to be still hidden beneath the ship's official cargo of sugar.

Martinelli was quoted by the BBC as saying the ship was thought to have 27 containers on board.

Panama last week charged the ship's captain and 35 crew members with 'attempts against Panama's security' and 'illegally transporting undeclared military equipment.'

The concealed weapons parts -- and now the two fighter jets found on the ship -- may also be a violation of the UN arms embargo imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.

Panama has asked the UN Security Council to investigate, and UN sanctions experts are expected to travel to Panama on August 5 to conduct a probe.

The ship, built in 1977 and registered to the state-owned, Pyongyang-based Chongchongang Shipping Company, 'has a long history of detentions for safety deficiencies and other undeclared reasons,' including suspected drug and ammunition trafficking, USAToday cited global shipping agency Lloyd's List as saying.

In 2010, the North Korean vessel was stopped by Ukrainian authorities in the Black Sea "for reasons that are unclear," USAToday said.

According to the BBC, the Chong Chon Gang began its latest voyage in Russia's far east in mid-April. Bound for Cuba, it entered the Panama Canal from the Pacific side in early June but disappeared from satellite tracking systems after exiting the canal on the Atlantic side.

After re-appearing on tracking systems July 11, it was stopped and searched near Manzanillo on July 15, when Panamanian officials found its cargo of contraband weapons parts, hidden beneath 10,000 tons of sugar.

third eye may be you guys can buy them that 2 planes will help IAF atleast on part of spears until LCA is ready

Panama Finds Soviet MiG Fighters on Seized N. Korea Ship

RIA Novosti

20:21 22/07/2013

WASHINGTON, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - Investigators in Panama discovered two Soviet-built MiG-21 fighter jets while unloading a North Korean ship that was seized last week with 240 tons of concealed weapons parts on board as it tried to enter the Panama Canal en route to North Korea from Cuba, media reports said Monday.

'Apparently these aircraft were in use because they had fuel,' Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli was quoted by Agence France-Presse news agency as saying during a visit to the Atlantic port city of Manzanillo on Sunday, where the boat's cargo was being unloaded.

The two supersonic fighter jets, originally produced by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s, were found in containers alongside two missile radar systems, Martinelli was quoted as saying.

Panamanian officials stopped the 510-foot (155 –meter) North Korea-flagged Chong Chon Gang a week ago on suspicion it was carrying drugs, but instead found a huge stash of weapons parts hidden beneath sacks of sugar.

Cuba said the weapons were obsolete and were being sent to North Korea to be refurbished before being returned to Cuba.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that the vessel was also carrying two anti-aircraft missile complexes and the two Mig-21 Bis, along with 15 motors for those planes.

The BBC cited Panamanian officials as saying seven containers had been unloaded from the ship and opened, but more are believed to be still hidden beneath the ship's official cargo of sugar.

Martinelli was quoted by the BBC as saying the ship was thought to have 27 containers on board.

Panama last week charged the ship's captain and 35 crew members with 'attempts against Panama's security' and 'illegally transporting undeclared military equipment.'

The concealed weapons parts -- and now the two fighter jets found on the ship -- may also be a violation of the UN arms embargo imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.

Panama has asked the UN Security Council to investigate, and UN sanctions experts are expected to travel to Panama on August 5 to conduct a probe.

The ship, built in 1977 and registered to the state-owned, Pyongyang-based Chongchongang Shipping Company, 'has a long history of detentions for safety deficiencies and other undeclared reasons,' including suspected drug and ammunition trafficking, USAToday cited global shipping agency Lloyd's List as saying.

In 2010, the North Korean vessel was stopped by Ukrainian authorities in the Black Sea "for reasons that are unclear," USAToday said.

According to the BBC, the Chong Chon Gang began its latest voyage in Russia's far east in mid-April. Bound for Cuba, it entered the Panama Canal from the Pacific side in early June but disappeared from satellite tracking systems after exiting the canal on the Atlantic side.

After re-appearing on tracking systems July 11, it was stopped and searched near Manzanillo on July 15, when Panamanian officials found its cargo of contraband weapons parts, hidden beneath 10,000 tons of sugar.

third eye may be you guys can buy them that 2 planes will help IAF atleast on part of spears until LCA is ready

 

[third eye]

LOL its not like they were some high tech jets

third eye may be you guys can buy them that 2 planes will help IAF atleast on part of spears until LCA is ready

Was it meant to be funny ?

Did you mean Spares ( instead of the highlight in red above ) ?

The LCA will have no use for Spears.

 

[JonAsad]

Was it meant to be funny ?

Did you mean Spares ( instead of the highlight in red above ) ?

The LCA will have no use for Spears.

Let it be funny-
LCA itself can act like a spear- kamikaze ftw- -

 

[Manindra]

Let it be funny-
LCA itself can act like a spear- kamikaze ftw- -

LCA does not face any accident in its 2200 test flights & you say it is use as Kamikaze.
You committed blasphemy

 

[Tshering22]

Technically, it is wrong to stop a shipment considering that it was legitimate for two states to trade and both of which have been partners.

Unless of course there was a breach of protocols whereby ships carrying defence equipment must inform a third country whose water it is passing through.

This is wrong and it can happen with anyone.


While I hate the de-ranged lunatic fat Kims, this can happen with someone else as well.

 

[Glitcher]

Was it meant to be funny ?

Did you mean Spares ( instead of the highlight in red above ) ?

The LCA will have no use for Spears.

Sory my mistake and hell yeah it was meant to be funny

 

[Snomannen]

Bad North Korea, bad.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Technically, it is wrong to stop a shipment considering that it was legitimate for two states to trade and both of which have been partners.

Unless of course there was a breach of protocols whereby ships carrying defence equipment must inform a third country whose water it is passing through.

This is wrong and it can happen with anyone.


While I hate the de-ranged lunatic fat Kims, this can happen with someone else as well.

The basis of your observations are wrong. Countries can trade with each other. But cargo that is carried on board ships that transit through the waters, canals and ports of third countries need to have all their cargo(es) to be correctly manifested and declared. If that condition is not complied with; then any mis-declared or undeclared cargo on board is contraband. Contraband cargo(es) and the carrier (ship) concerned can then be confiscated under International Laws. In this instance there also happens to be an UN Embargo in force against North Korea in place which adds to the severity of the illelegality.

If Cuba and North Korea decide to trade a Cargo of Heroin for instance then that may be okay if the cargo leaves Cuba and reaches North Korea directly without transiting any third country's waters, contiguous areas and ports. But if it does and is concealed below a cargo of Sugar (which is legitimate while Heroin is not) then the Contraband rules apply in any case. Here it was arms/weaponry which was concealed/undeclared; so it gets worse.

That is the legal position.