Date: March 8, 2004

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COAST GUARD STOPS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MIGRANTS 

89 intercepted three miles off Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The Coast Guard Cutter Vashon, a 110-foot patrol boat based here, intercepted a boat attempting to smuggle 89 Dominican Republic migrants into Puerto Rico today. 

A lookout on the cutter spotted the boat, a 40-foot yola, three miles off Aguadilla, Puerto Rico at 10:40 a.m. today.

As the cutter approached, all but two of the migrants crouched low behind the sides of the boat in an effort to give the impression the yola was engaged in legitimate fishing.  The Coast Guard crew was not fooled and when the cutter drew close to the yola, its rigid hull inflatable boat was launched to evacuate the migrants from the yola. 

With the Coast Guard boat alongside the yola, eight migrants jumped into the water and began swimming away from the vessel.  The yola attempted to flee while the Coast Guard small boat rescued the migrants from the water and delivered them to the Vashon.  When the boat approached the yola a second time, another migrant jumped into the water.  The yola again attempted to flee while that migrant was recovered from the water and delivered to the Vashon. 

When the Coast Guard boat pulled alongside the yola a third time, the migrants cooperated and were transferred in small groups to the cutter.  The migrants were subsequently transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Reliance, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter, for repatriation to the Dominican Republic.  While on Coast Guard cutters, migrants receive food, water and medical attention as needed.

Vessels from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Puerto Rico Police, Forces United for Rapid Action (FURA) responded when the cutter reported spotting the yola.

This is the first interception of Dominican Republic migrants in over a week as high winds and seas have recently precluded smuggling attempts.  A total of 2,248 Dominican Republic migrants have been intercepted/rescued at sea thus far in 2004, compared to 1,469 migrants intercepted during 2003.

"The Coast Guard crew did an excellent job handling this case and there was superb interagency coordination with Customs and Border Protection and FURA," said Lt. Matthew Waldron of the Coast Guard Greater Antilles Section.  "It was fortunate for the migrants that they were intercepted as the surf on the northwest shore of Puerto Rico is still very rough and very dangerous.  Had they attempted to land, there could have been another tragedy as there was in that area just weeks ago,"  he added. 

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