An expert report commissioned by the Central Court of Criminal Investigation (TCIC) says the NRP Mondego was in a “generalised state of structural and functional degradation, with a direct impact on safety.” The findings, reported today by Correio da Manhã, challenge earlier claims made by Admiral Gouveia e Melo about the vessel’s condition. The report cites faults in the port engine, the electrical power system, and the firefighting system. It also says the ship had only one working navigation radar and showed hull damage in several areas. The case began in 2023, when military personnel refused to board the NRP Mondego because of safety concerns. That refusal led the Navy, then under the command of Admiral Gouveia e Melo, to file a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the sailors were later disciplined and accused of disobedience and insubordination. The newspaper also recalled Gouveia e Melo’s remarks during a visit to Madeira, when he said, “The Navy does not send ships to sea if we consider that these ships pose any risk to their crews.”
