Twenty-nine people were repartriated to the Dominican Republic Thursday, following multiple interdictions in the Mona Passage off the west coast of Puerto Rico.

In a statement on Friday (May 19), the US Coast Guards said that a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit interdicted a suspect makeshift vessel with eight Dominican Republic nationals, just off the coast of Aguada, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos that arrived on scene, where the crew embarked the migrants.

The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley interdicted a second makeshift vessel with 17 Dominican Republic nationals. Cutter Donald Horsley’s crew safely embarked all the people from this voyage.

Since October 1, 2022, through April 30, 2023, the Coast Guard has carried out 31 illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico.

Interdicted during this period, are 992 non-U.S. citizens including 758 Dominicans, 211 Haitians, 13 Venezuelans, seven Kazakhs, one Albanian and one other unknown nationality.