Photo Available: Coast Guard intercepts 191 Haitians near Bahamas

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/26/2022 08:03 PM EST

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News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
Office: 305-415-6683
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Coast Guard intercepts 191 Haitians near Bahamas

Coast Guard Kathleen Moore’s crew located a green and blue sail freighter with 191 people aboard during a routine patrol about 40 miles southwest of Great Inagua, Bahamas, Jan 25, 2022. The crew provided life jackets and brought the Haitians aboard the Coast Guard Cutters Reliance and Kathleen Moore due to safety of life at sea concerns. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

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MIAMI — The Coast Guard intercepted 191 Haitians aboard an overloaded sail freighter Tuesday, about 40 miles southwest of Great Inagua, Bahamas. 

Coast Guard Kathleen Moore’s crew located a green and blue sail freighter with 191 people aboard during a routine patrol, Tuesday, at approximately 1 a.m. The crew provided life jackets and brought the people aboard Coast Guard Cutters Reliance and Kathleen Moore due to safety of life at sea concerns.

"The Coast Guard maintains a persistent presence patrolling the waters around Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, to help prevent loss of life on the high seas," said Lt. David Steele, Coast Guard liaison officer, U.S. Embassy Haiti. "These grossly overloaded vessels operate without proper safety equipment and are not built for these hazardous voyages.”

Since Oct. 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews have rescued 802 Haitians compared to:  

  • 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 persons receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. Throughout the interdiction, Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19.

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-USCG-