A collision of two Ecuadorian ships during GALAPEX IV exercises

On 31 August a collision of BAE rocket corvette occurred in the Santa Cruz area of Galapagos Los Ríos with LAE patrolman Isla San Salvador. Both units participated in GALAPEX IV 2026 international exercises.

By Ecuador Navy (Armada del Ecuador) The collision caused strong wind and sea currents in the Gulf of Academia. The moment of the incident was recorded on a recording that later went to social media.

After the incident, both units were checked. None of the crew members were injured, and the damage proved insignificant so that the BAE ships Los Ríos and LAE Isla San Salvador may continue to participate in GALAPEX IV.

BAE Los Ríos and LAE Isla San Salvador

BAE Los Ríos belongs to six rocket corvettes type Esmeraldas operated by the Ecuador Navy. Ships were built in Italy in the early 1980s, and Los Ríos entered service in 1983. The corvettes are about 62 m long and displacement full of nearly 700 tonnes.

BAE Los Ríos was also one of three ships of this type upgraded in 2014–2018 by the Ecuadorian shipyard Astinave. The scope of the work included, among others, the modernization of the drive and the installation of the Orión combat system developed in Ecuador. Ships of type Esmeraldas are armed, among others, with anti-ship missiles MM40 Exocet, 76 mm cannon and torpedo launchers.

LAE Isla San Salvador (LG-34) is Patrolman Under the command of the Coast Guard of Ecuador. The unit is approximately 45 m long and is designed primarily for patrolling marine areas and carrying out control activities.

GALAPEX IV 2026 in the waters of Galapagos

GALAPEX IV exercises began on 17 August in Salinas. Representatives of 14 countries were present during the opening ceremony. The main objective of the maneuvers is to improve surveillance and control procedures for marine areas, with particular emphasis on the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Galapagos area.

In the final phase of the maneuvers, GALAPEX IV in the Galapagos waters practiced ships of Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, the United States and Spain. On 30 August, PHOTOEX was conducted, during which the submarines were making maneuvers in formation, and airplanes operated over the team Ecuador and the United States.