PPA recommends using GPS devices on Narva River to avoid crossing into Russia
Estonia's Border Guard (PPA) recommends using GPS devices or the Nutimeri app when traveling on the Narva River, because Google Maps may direct a boat into Russian waters by mistake.
Estonia and Russia have still not come to an agreement on the location of buoys in the river to demarcate the border. The PPA is urging people sailing on the river this summer to pay close attention as the first unintentional border crossings have already occurred.
"We have had at least four illegal border crossings over the past couple of months. In some cases, people have received warnings, in some cases, we have also fined people," said the head of the Narva border station, Regina Kukk.
In some cases, the fine has been as high as €600, Kukk said, adding that everything depends on the circumstances.
If a boat crosses the line, the Russian border guard will take control of the situation."In some cases, the person has been returned to Estonia within a couple of hours, in some cases, it has taken days," Kukk said.
The PPA says a boat operator should carry either a GPS device or use the Nutimeri map application, which accurately shows the boat's location to the control line. Standard map applications have misled people traveling on the Narva River in the past.
"Some of the temporary control line crossings that have occurred this year have been caused by people using the Google Maps app. The temporary control line marked on the Google Maps map application is not correct," Kukk explained. "People may make navigation errors in certain locations and may unintentionally end up in Russian territory."
The PPA says boats should stay as close as possible to the Estonian shoreline and ask for help from the border guards, if necessary. They should also familiarize themselves with the instructions and advice available on the website piiriveekogu.ee.
A boat operator must register both the start and end of their journey with the border station.
Kukk said traveling on the border river is a complicated undertaking.
"If you do not want trouble, then choose some other body of water, though, of course, we cannot forbid people. We are trying on our part to do everything so that there are fewer violations," she added.
Unlike the Narva River, boating on the Narva Reservoir is easier because the artificial lake is large and navigation buoys are in place there.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Karin Koppel
