Coast Guard Intercepts Migrant Vessel Near Puerto Rico
Special agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Maritime Operations noticed a suspicious boat near Desecho Island in Puerto Rico, which turned out to be a roughly 30-foot long rustic vessel carrying 40 migrants. The crew members were apprehended and removed from the boat, which was disabled at the time.
The operation began shortly after midnight on June 6, when the Caribbean Air and Maritime Operations Center spotted the vessel. They passed on the information to the DHC-8 crew at the National Aviation Security Operations Center, who found multiple individuals on the boat.
A DHC-8 de Havilland aircraft kept watch over the vessel and guided a U.S. Coast Guard cutter to the area. Within two hours of the sighting, the Coast Guard intercepted the boat close to the Puerto Rican coastline, arresting those aboard who intended to land in Puerto Rico.
Footage shared on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows the interception by the Coast Guard. According to CBP, among the detained migrants were 36 individuals from the Dominican Republic, consisting of 34 adult males and two adult females. The remaining migrants included three adult males from Haiti and one male from Uzbekistan.
Christopher Hunter, Director of the Caribbean Air and Sea Bureau, commented on the operation, emphasizing their unwavering dedication to safeguarding the nation’s borders and community safety. He noted that the successful capture near Desecho Island highlighted the collaboration and commitment of all involved in combating dangerous smuggling efforts, reiterating that the nation’s land and sea borders are effectively closed.
This recent interception underscores the challenges faced by human smugglers attempting to reach the United States. To travel from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, smugglers must navigate the perilous Mona Strait, notorious for its strong currents and waves.
This route is the most commonly used pathway into the United States for citizens from the Dominican Republic and is under strict surveillance by U.S. authorities. A similar smuggling operation was disrupted in May, involving 64 migrants who were arrested as they attempted to land on the island. Federal agents boarded the ship and found 58 nationals from the Dominican Republic and six from Haiti, who were subsequently processed for removal at the Ramey Border Patrol Station.
