News from Andalucia & Costa del Sol
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HMS Pickle returns to Gibraltar
Replica of historic Battle of Trafalgar ship to be tourist attraction on the RockBy David Eade
LAST WEEK the Gibraltar government announced that a replica of HMS Pickle would go on display as part of the Rock's tourism product in Ocean Village. The sailing ship is on its way to the Rock but its arrival has been delayed after it put in to a Spanish port with bad-weather damage. Once the schooner arrives it will be open to visitors and available for educational tours and for hosting special events.
During the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar the HMS Pickle, like other small vessels, was kept well back from the fighting since a single broadside from a ship of the line would have sunk her instantly. Pickle was stationed to the north-west of the weather line, where Nelson was leading HMS Victory into battle.
In the later stages of the battle, Pickle, Entreprenante, and the boats of Prince George and Swiftsure went to the rescue of the crew of the French ship, Achille, which caught fire and subsequently exploded. Together they rescued two women and somewhere between 100 and 200 men. This number outnumbered Pickle's crew by three to one.
Foreign residents warned over bogus translators
Official documents done by non-certified translators are invalidBy Oliver McIntyre
IFUENGIROLA town hall has issued a warning to foreign residents about fraudulent translators offering their services to translate official documents.
"The Foreign Residents' Department has been alerted to the existence of people on the Costa passing themselves off as official translators when they are actually not, meaning they are not certified as such," said the councillor for foreign residents, Katja Westerdahl.
She emphasised that to be valid for official use, documents must be translated by an official certified translator. Any other form of translation is inadmissible.
"A foreign resident may require the assistance of a translator for numerous situations, such as when they need to submit a document to a public administration," said the councillor. For example, she said, "if a certificate of EU citizenship is requested at the National Police station, a series of documents must be submitted, such as the certificate of pensioner status. This document comes from the person's country of origin but to be valid in Spain must be translated by an official translator."
Consulates to get real-time data on emergencies
New system aimed at providing better information to foreign-resident communityBy Oliver McIntyre
THE consular corps in Málaga province will have access to real-time information in emergency situations such as the recent Costa wildfire, under an agreement reached last week with the Diputación de Málaga. The goal is to enable the consulates keep the foreign-resident community informed, as well as the governments in their home countries.
TThe scheme was launched last Wednesday at a meeting between Diputación president Elías Bendodo and representatives of consulates from 16 countries: the UK, the US, Finland, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Poland Hungary, Ukraine, Lithuania, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Paraguay, Morocco and Senegal.
"In the face of a major catastrophe such as the recent fire it is important not only to take the appropriate action but also to focus on communication in order to maintain calm amongst those affected and address their concerns," said Sr Bendodo.
Under the new scheme, "the consuls will act as the conduits for information in the event of an accident or emergency," said the Diputación in a statement following the meeting.
KIDNAP BRIT ARRESTED
Police rescue victim, then detain him on outstanding warrantBy David Eade
THE National Police last week freed a Briton who had been held for five days by kidnappers in a Manilva flat - and then took him under arrest.
Officers also arrested two men and a woman in relation to the kidnapping. The two men, Briton N.W., 47, and Irishman S.M., 31, are being held in prison on kidnapping charges but the woman, N.B., 38, from London, faces the same charges but has been freed on bail.
The motive for the kidnapping is said by the police to be related to a debt that the victim owed to the drug traffickers. The freed man, named in the UK press as 41-year-old Scot Kevin Kelly, was subjected to torture during his confinement, said police. Following his release he was immediately arrested himself due to outstanding warrants in Spain on money laundering and illicit association charges.
The kidnapping took place in Puerto Banús on August 30. Police said it did not appear to have been planned but was a chance encounter between Mr Kelly and the others.
Taxi driver arrested for hit and run death
Pedestrian death in Fuengirola followed by another in Puerto BanúsBy David Eade
A TAXI driver was arrested by the National Police in Fuengirola on Monday as the suspect of the hit-and-run death of a man in Avenida Ramón y Cajal at around 3am on last Thursday. He has been charged with manslaughter and failing to help an injured person.
The accident occurred in the avenue by the corner with Calle Martínez Catena, close to the bus station. The 112 emergency service received a number of calls after the driver fled the scene. The local police were first to arrive and called an ambulance but the 49-year-old man died at the scene.
From enquiries the police ascertained that the vehicle involved the hit and run had been a local taxi. Officers carried out inspections of all the licensed taxis in the town and eventually arrested the accused driver.
In a non-related incident, on Saturday another pedestrian was hit and killed by a taxi in the westbound lanes of the A7 in the Puerto Banús area.