Seventh Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office
|
| Press Release | Date: Feb. 28, 2006 Contact: Ricardo Castrodad (787) 510-7923 |
U.S. Coast Guard repatriates 77 Dominican migrants to D.R. Navy Vessel Proción |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo repatriated 77 Dominican migrants to the Dominican Republic today at 7 a.m. The Sapelo arrived on scene Monday and safely embarked all the migrants, 56 male and 21 females, before proceeding to rendezvous with the Dominican Republic Navy Vessel Proción in the vicinity of Isla Saona, Dominican Republic to conduct the repatriation at sea. The crew of the Sapelo transferred all the migrants safely and in good health to the Proción. A Forces United for Rapid Action fixed-wing aircraft from the Puerto Rico Police Department located the migrants Monday at 5:10 p.m. traveling illegally to Puerto Rico on board a wooden yola. Minutes later, a FURA marine unit intercepted the 35-foot yola approximately five nautical miles north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. After the yola was detained, a second FURA marine unit arrived on scene to support the interdiction. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center controllers diverted the Sapelo to assist FURA personnel and transfer the migrants to the cutter. As the migrants were being transferred, a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen HH-65 Dolphin helicopter flew rescue support overhead. Since Oct. 2005, approximately 1,350 migrants have been interdicted at sea in the Mona Passage and 715 migrants have been apprehended ashore by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agencies (U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) and Forces United for Rapid Action personnel. ### |
The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
printer friendly