Police searching for Haitians who arrived in Portland
Toriann Ellis / Our Today
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A police search is underway to locate several Haitians who disembarked from a boat that came ashore at Kensington Beach in Portland on Monday.
According to police reports, lawmen were alerted to the sighting of a vessel near the shoreline between 11:00 and 11:30 am. When officers arrived, the occupants had already fled the scene.
As of late Monday evening, 21 individuals had been located and taken into custody. It is believed that the original group comprised approximately 40 people, including two toddlers.
The search operation, which involves multiple agencies, is ongoing.
The Portland chief medical officer, the Red Cross, the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), and Haitian authorities have all been notified. Police say the group will receive medical assessments and treatment.
In a similar incident in May, 42 Haitians landed in a makeshift canoe at Ross Craig in Long Bay, Portland. That group was subsequently repatriated to Haiti.
Authorities say the landings reflect a long-standing trend, as Haitians continue to flee political and social unrest in their home country.
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