49 Dominicans repatriated by US Coast Guard following illegal voyage
/ Our Today
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Forty-nine Dominicans were repatriated to the Dominica Republic between Wednesday and Thursday, following the interdiction of an illegal vessel by the US Coast Guards in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico.
The US Coast Guard in a statement on Thursday (April 13) said that ” During routine patrol, Tuesday (April 11) night the aircrew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a 35-foot makeshift boat, approximately 80 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Richard Dixon. Once on scene, cutter Richard Dixon interdicted the vessel and safely embarked 41 men, six women and two minors.”
The interdiction is a result of ongoing local and federal multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Border Interagency Group, CBIG.
The migrants include one Albanian, seven Kazakhstan, six Haitian and 35 Dominican Republic nationals who were returned to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off the Dominican Republic.
Three minors in this group, two Haitian and a Dominican national, were transferred to the Children and Adolescents National Council (CONANI) representatives in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“Illegal maritime migrant ventures are inherently dangerous and pose significant safety risks to all involved,” said Lt. Nicholas Rogers, cutter Richard Dixon’s commanding officer. This evolution demonstrated excellent coordination between responding units to affect a safe disembarkation of all 49 persons,” the statement said.
Between October 2022 to March 31, 2023, the Coast Guard carried out 25 illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico.
During this period, the Coast Guard has interdicted 777 non-U.S. citizens including 568 Dominicans, 195 Haitians, 13 Venezuelans and 01 unknown nationality.
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