Coast Guard repatriates 14 Dominicans to the Dominican Republic, following illegal voyage interdiction in the Mona Passage

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Contact: Coast Guard Puerto Rico PA Office Office: 787-729-2381 After Hours: 787-510-7923 7th District Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands online newsroom

Coast Guard repatriates 14 Dominicans to the Dominican Republic, following illegal voyage interdiction in the Mona Passage


Editor's note: Click on image to download.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley repatriated 14 Dominicans to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel Wednesday, following the interdiction of an illegal voyage vessel in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico.

The interdiction is the result of ongoing local and federal multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Border Interagency Group CBIG.

The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley interdicted a 25-foot makeshift boat Tuesday afternoon, after the aircrew of a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine multi-role enforcement aircraft detected the vessel in waters north northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Following the interdiction, the cutter’s crew safely embarked 12 men and two women from the makeshift vessel.

The Cutter Donald Horsley rendezvoused with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel in the Mona Passage waters, near Punta Cana Dominican Republic, and transferred the interdicted group for their return to the Dominican Republic.

“Waters around Puerto Rico are tremendously dangerous, and people taking part in illegal voyages are placing themselves at the mercy of the unpredictable weather patterns of the Eastern Caribbean,” said Lt. Charles Chavtur, Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley commanding officer. “These voyages most often take place aboard makeshift vessels that are often grossly overloaded, unstable, and ill-equipped for the journey to Puerto Rico, placing the lives of everyone onboard in great peril.”

Since Oct. 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, the Coast Guard has carried out 72 illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico.  Interdicted during this period, are 1,919 non-U.S. citizens including 1,414 Dominicans, 404 Haitians, 01 Cuban, 1 Ecuadorian, 52 Venezuelan, 12 Uzbek, and 35 of unknown nationalities.

Cutter Donald Horsley is a 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Family members in the United States inquiring about possible family members interdicted at sea, please contact your local U.S. representative. Relatives located outside the United States please contact your local U.S. Embassy.

CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action, in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

-USCG-