Thirty-eight migrants were repatriated to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday by the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez crew, following two interdictions of illegal and irregular migration efforts near Puerto Rico.
According to the US Coast Guard, the repatriated migrants were transferred to Dominican Republic authorities during a rendezvous with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off the Dominican Republic.
Two more detained immigrants are being held in American custody and are being prosecuted for illegal immigration in the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico.
Read: U.S. Coast Guard Returns 16 Migrants To Cuba After Makeshift Boat Spotted Off Florida Coast
During Monday’s interdiction, the aircrew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft sighted a 30-foot grossly overloaded makeshift vessel approximately 31 nautical miles west of Rincon, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Winslow Griesser to intercept the suspect vessel.
Following the interdiction, the cutter crew embarked on 31 migrants, of which 27 claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals and four claimed to be Haitians.
During Tuesday’s interdiction, a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew sighted a 20-foot grossly overloaded makeshift vessel approximately 45 nautical miles northeast of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted cutter Heriberto Hernandez to intercept the suspect vessel. Following the interdiction, the Heriberto Hernandez crew embarked on 13 migrants who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals.
“These interdictions are the result of the unwavering commitment, collaboration and partnerships the Coast Guard relies upon daily with our U.S. federal and Dominican Republic Navy partners to stop and deter unlawful maritime migration voyages in the Mona Passage,” said Lt. Cmdr. Edward Kunigonis, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of enforcement. “These efforts save lives, as in this case in which the Coast Guard air and surface crews involved ensured the safety of all the migrants throughout their repatriation.”
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