The U.S. Coast Guard in San Juan reported Thursday that it repatriated 109 migrants, including 71 Haitians and 40 Dominicans, to Dominican authorities in San Pedro de Macorís on Wednesday after intercepting two boats in waters near Mona Island, Puerto Rico.
«The Joint Rapid Action Forces of the Coast Guard“, Customs and Border Protection and the Puerto Rico Police ensured the safety of all migrants in both cases,” Matthew Romano, chief of response for the Coast Guard’s San Juan sector, said in a statement.
In the first operation, the Coast Guard vessel Joseph Tezano intercepted 12 migrants, 11 Dominicans and one Haitian, on Monday in a six-meter makeshift boat northwest of the municipality of Aguadilla, in the west of the Caribbean island.
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Meanwhile, the crew of the Coast Guard cutter HC-144 Ocean Sentry spotted another nine-meter improvised vessel on Monday afternoon northwest of Aguadilla.
A Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircraft and a Bahamas Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew assisted in maintaining aerial surveillance of the vessel while surface units arrived at the sighting.
Later, the maritime units of Customs and Border Protectionthe Joint Rapid Action Forces of the Puerto Rico Police and Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos intercepted the vessel.
The Coast Guard took 98 migrants aboard the Joseph Tezanos vessel, including 28 Dominicans and 70 Haitians.
“The circumstances and conditions faced by migrants during these journeys are highly dangerous. In most cases, they are forced to board makeshift boats that are unseaworthy and heavily overloaded, with little or no life-saving equipment,” Romano added.
According to the document released by the authorities, once aboard the Coast Guard vessel, all migrants received food, water, shelter and basic medical care.
The repatriated migrants are in the custody of the Dominican Republic Navy in San Pedro de Macorís.
“We urge anyone thinking of participating in one of these voyages not to put their lives to sea and instead seek safe, orderly and legal migration routes,” Romano said.
Mona Island is located in the channel of the same name, which separates Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic and is a frequent migratory route.
