Coast Guard repatriates 11 Dominicans to La Romana, Dominican Republic

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Farallon repatriated 11 Dominicans to La Romana, Dominican Republic Tuesday, following an at-sea interdiction by Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) Law Enforcement authorities Monday.

The crew of a Customs and Border Protection DHC-8 aircraft located a 20-foot pleasure craft Monday morning, while patrolling waters approximately 10 nautical miles southwest of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The migrants were traveling illegally to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic.

A Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit interdicted the migrant vessel southwest of Cabo Rojo, and assisted the Farallon in safely embarking four women, 11 men and male minor aboard the cutter. The crew of the Farallon collected biographic information, including digital fingerprints and facial photographs, of the interdicted migrants.

The Farallon rendezvoused with Ramey Sector Border Patrol Agents Tuesday in Añasco, Puerto Rico, who conducted migrant interviews and took five detainees, four Dominicans and one Puerto Rican, into custody to face judicial proceedings ashore.

The crew of the Farallon repatriated the remaining 11 Dominicans at approximately 8 a.m. Tuesday to La Romana, Dominican Republic, where they turned custody of the migrants over to awaiting Dominican Republic Naval authorities ashore.

Coast Guard Cutter Farallon is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.