US Coast Guard intercepts 64 Cuban, 100 Haitian illegal migrants

JamaicaObserver.com

MIAMI (CMC) - The United States Coast Guard says it has intercepted 64 Cuban and 100 Haitian migrants during what it describes as a busy week of illegal maritime migration attempts from Cuba and Haiti into the United States.

The Coast Guard said that the 64 Cuban migrants were repatriated last week following three separate interdictions at sea in the Florida Straits dating back to August 7.

It said that also that the crew of the Cutter Paul Clark located a “grossly overloaded” Haitian sail freighter in Bahamian waters and was able to rescue the 100 Haitian migrants from the freighter before transferring them to Royal Bahamian Defence Force officials.

“Migrant operations are unique in that they are both a law-enforcement and a safety of life at sea mission,” said Commander Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard 7th District.

“In this case, the crew of the Paul Clark saved the lives of 100 Haitians attempting a perilous journey that could have had a tragic result,” he added.

So far this year, the Coast Guard said 3,095 Cuban migrants and 4,506 Haitian migrants have been picked up at sea.