PHOTO RELEASE: Coast Guard interdicts 146 Haitian migrants 69 miles north of Isla De Tortue
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 08/14/2019 10:43 AM EDT
News Release |
U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast |
Coast Guard interdicts 146 Haitian migrants 69 miles north of Isla De Tortue
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MIAMI — The Coast Guard interdicted 146 Haitian migrants Sunday approximately 69 miles north of Isla De Tortue, Haiti.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter William Trump (WPC-1111) interdicted a 40-foot migrant sail freighter with 146 migrants aboard. The cutter crew safely embarked 120 males, 22 females and four minors.
“These illegal ventures attempting to immigrate to the United States in ill-equipped and severely overloaded vessels are extremely dangerous, especially during the hurricane season when weather and sea conditions can rapidly change in minutes putting migrants in danger of being lost at sea,” said Capt. Jason Ryan, chief of enforcement branch of the Coast Guard 7th District. “The Coast Guard and our partner agencies coordinate efforts to interdict and stop these unlawful migration attempts in to the United States. Migrants caught attempting to gain access into the U.S. through these dangerously illegal undertakings at-sea will be will be repatriated to their country in accordance with existing U.S. immigration policy.”
The cutter William Trump crew rendezvoused with the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute (WMEC-620) and safely transferred the migrants to the cutter Resolute crew, who repatriated the migrants to their country of origin Tuesday.
Approximately 3,414 Haitian migrants have attempted to illegally enter the U.S. via the maritime environment in fiscal year 2019, which begins Oct. 1, compared to 2,727 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2018. These numbers represent the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean, and Atlantic.
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.
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