Coast Guard Repatriates Migrants
Coast Guard Repatriates Migrants
U.S. Coast Guard | PO Dana Warr | June 12, 2007
MIAMI - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur repatriated 23 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba, Tuesday; the Cutter Resolute repatriated 50 Haitian migrants to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, and the crew of the Cutter Cushing repatriated 25 Dominican migrants to La Romana, Dominican Republic, Sunday.
The Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague assisted the Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) marine unit interdict a 25-foot wooden yola Saturday morning one mile west of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Chincoteague crew arrived on scene and safely embarked the migrants and collected valuable biometric information.
The biometric capability employed in this case provides the Coast Guard and other federal authorities with an important tool to establish the identity of those interdicted at sea who may attempt to enter or re-enter the United States illegally, or who may pose a threat to national security.
A deployed Air Station Miami HH-65C "Dolphin" helicopter crew working with the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute located a 35-foot Haitian sailing freighter Friday about 25 miles south of Great Inagua, Bahamas, with 50 Haitian migrants on board. The Cutter Resolute crew came along-side and removed the 50 migrants from the vessel and transferred them to the safety of the cutter.
The crew of the merchant vessel, Carly Bay, located a rustic vessel 41 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., Thursday and reported its location to the Coast Guard. An HU-25 "Falcon" jet located the rustic vessel and guided the Cutter Farallon to intercept. Five Cuban migrants were safely transferred to the cutter.
The crew on the Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island located and interdicted 18 Cuban migrants June 8 a rustic vessel with a sail about 23 miles southwest of the Marquesas Islands, Fla. Seventeen migrants were repatriated and one will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Once on board Coast Guard Cutters, all migrants receive food, water and any necessary medical treatment.
The Cutters Chandeleur and Farallon are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in Miami.
The Cutters Chincoteague and Cushing are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Cutter Kodiak Island is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Cutter Resolute is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg.
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