Caribbean: Migrant Tragedy off the Coast of Puerto Rico
A migrant boat has capsized in the waters of Puerto Rico and another has been intercepted near the Turks and Caicos in what is believed to be an increase in migrants leaving Haiti in home-built boats.
Published 2 years ago
The US Coast Guard reported that these incidents occurred less than a week after the USCG and the Dominican navy had rescued 68 migrants in the Mona Passage, the treacherous area between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Over 200 Haitians were found in the one boat near Turks & Caicos and at least 11 bodies were recovered from the boat that capsized off the coast of Puerto Rico.
US Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said the USCG and partner agencies responded to an unidentified amount of people in the water approximately 12 miles north of Desecheo island, on the western coast of Puerto Rico after their vessel capsized during a suspected illegal migrant voyage. Reports are the boat collided with the island.
The media reports there is an uptick in the number of Haitians using the boat route. The US Customs and Border Protection reports that from October 2021 to March 2022, 571 Haitians and 252 people from the Dominican Republic were detained in waters around Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. As reported, in fiscal year 2021, 310 Haitians and 354 Dominicans were detained, compared to 22 Haitians and 313 Dominicans in fiscal year 2020, according to the agency.
Unsafe homemade ships, dangerous ocean conditions and a lack of safety protocols mean that illegal migrant voyages can quickly turn deadly.
- Photo (c) USCG
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Related News:
Tragedy Strikes Again off the Coast of Puerto Rico
Boat Carrying Haitian Migrants Capsizes off Puerto Rico (Miami Herald)
Search for Survivors Ongoing (Washington Herald)
USA, Florida: Migrants Missing after Boat Capsizes (Noonsite January 2022)
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Related Links:
Migrants at Sea: the dos and don’ts of helping those in distress (Yachting Monthly)
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Noonsite has not independently verified this information.
Related to following destinations: Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico
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