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Police Searching New Haven Harbor For Two Turkish Men



The Associated Press

August 16 2006, 1:06 PM EDT

State homeland security and U.S. Coast Guard officials searched Wednesday for two Turkish seamen who apparently jumped off a ship docked in New Haven harbor.

Federal agents and New Haven police were also involved in the search, said Coast Guard Lt. Kris Tsairis.

Crew aboard the Turkish merchant marine vessel reported the two missing early Wednesday, Tsairis said. Their names have not yet been released.

Tsairis says foreign nationals occasionally to attempt to enter the country by jumping ship.

"It's sort of like sneaking over the border in the maritime world," Tsairis said.

In 2004, two Turkish men also jumped off a ship docked in the same harbor.