Thread: U.S. Coast Guard Repatriates 40 Dominicans

U.S. Coast Guard News Release

Date: Oct. 8, 2008

Contact: Ricardo Castrodad
(787) 510-7923

Coast Guard repatriates 40 Dominicans to La Romana, Dominican Republic

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus repatriated 40 Dominican migrants to La Romana, Dominican Republic Wednesday, following an at-sea interdiction by Coast Guard law enforcement crews Monday.

The crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air & Marine Branch fixed-wing aircraft located a migrant yola Monday morning while patrolling waters north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Law enforcement crews aboard a Coast Guard Station San Juan 33-foot response boat and a 47-foot motor life boat responded to the scene and interdicted a 25-foot yola with 41 Dominican migrants onboard, approximately 30 nautical miles north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan controllers diverted Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus to assist at the scene. The crew of the Matinicus embarked 34 men and seven women from the grossly overloaded yola.

After completing the interdiction, Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus turned custody of a female migrant, who needed to receive medical attention ashore, over to Border Patrol agents Tuesday at the Puerto Rico Police Marine Station in Añasco, Puerto Rico.

The crew of the Matinicus repatriated the remaining 40 Dominican migrants Wednesday afternoon and transferred custody of the migrants over to Dominican Republic naval authorities in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

"This was an outstanding multi-unit effort and a true testament to our outstanding relationships with our partner agencies," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Charles Lindsey, Officer in Charge Coast Guard Station San Juan. "Coast Guard Sector San Juan, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, the U.S. Border Patrol and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action continue to work together along with our other partner agencies to ensure these operations are safe and effective."

Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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