Photos Available: Coast Guard transfers 96 Haitians, 1 Ugandan, 1 Bahamian to The Bahamas

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 10/16/2022 01:26 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
Office: 305-415-6683
After Hours: 305-202-3735
7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard transfers 96 Haitians, 1 Ugandan, 1 Bahamian to The Bahamas

Coast Guard law enforcement crews rescue people from an unsafe and overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser about 20 miles off Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 12, 2022. The people were transferred to Bahamian authorities, Oct 16, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Lake Worth's crew)
A Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet's law enforcement crew stops an overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser about 20 miles off Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 12, 2022. The people were transferred to Bahamian authorities on Oct. 16, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Miami)      This is the overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser Power Whirl with men, women and children aboard waving their arms through the windows about 20 miles off Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 12, 2022. The people were transferred to Bahamian authorities on. Oct. 16, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Coast Guard Cutter Dependable's crew) Coast Guard Cutter Dependable's small boat crew transfers people to the cutter from overloaded cabin cruiser, about 20 miles off Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 12, 2022. The people were transferred to Bahamian authorities on Oct. 16, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Cutter Dependable's crew)

Editor's Note: Click on images to download high-resolution version.

Follow link for Haitian interdiction process video, here.

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Dependable's crew transferred 96 Haitians, one Ugandan, and one Bahamian to Bahamian authorities, Sunday, following an interdiction 20 miles east of Boca Raton.

An Air Station Miami H-65 helicopter aircrew alerted Sector Miami watchstanders, Wednesday, at approximately 10:15 a.m., of the overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser Power Whirl with men, women and children aboard waving their arms through the windows.

During the course of the investigation, it was reported the people were at sea for seven days. they spent their final two days without food and water. There were 53 males, 35 females, and 10 children aboard.

No injuries were reported. 

"Paying anyone to smuggle you into the U.S. is dangerous and illegal," said Capt. Robert Kinsey, Coast Guard District Seven. "Smugglers do not care whether you live or die as evident by how recklessly overloaded this vessel was and how long these people went without food and water. These people are lucky to be alive."

Since Oct. 1, 2022, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 96 Haitian migrants compared to:

  • 7,137 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2022
  • 1,527 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021
  • 418 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
  • 932 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
  • 609 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
  • 419 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.

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-USCG-