The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle small boat is on-scene with a makeshift vessel interdicted Nov. 10, 2022, approximately 36 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard returned 66 non-U.S. citizens to the Dominican Republic between Friday and Monday, following two illegal voyage interdictions near Puerto Rico.
The interdictions are the result of ongoing local and federal multi-agency efforts in support of the Caribbean Border Interagency Group CBIG.
A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew alerted Sector San Juan watch standers of a possible illegal voyage vessel Thursday evening, approximately 36 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle interdicted a grossly overloaded makeshift vessel and safely embarked all passengers. The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle transferred 48 persons interdicted in this group to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel Friday, including 43 Dominican Republic nationals and five Haitian nationals. The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos returned one other Haitian national from this group to the Dominican Republic Monday afternoon.
A Coast Guard Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez responded to a makeshift vessel in distress Friday morning just off the coast of Cerro Gordo in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. A Good Samaritan vessel on scene rescued seven people from the water, while the Station San Juan crew rescued 15 others who remained aboard the makeshift vessel. Coast Guard and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine units transferred five survivors who sustained injuries to Emergency Medical Service personnel to receive needed medical care at a local hospital. Ramey Sector U.S. Border Patrol agents at the scene also apprehended one other individual from the group who was able to swim to shore. The Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez repatriated 17 people from this group to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel Saturday, including 16 Dominican Republic nationals and a Haitian national.
“We strongly urge anyone thinking of taking part in an illegal voyage to not take to the sea,” said Capt. Jose E. Díaz, Sector San Juan commander. “These voyages most often take place aboard grossly overloaded makeshift vessels with no lifesaving equipment. Most people do not realize the dangers they will face until it is too late as this vessels are continuously taking on water, highly unstable, and smugglers frequently force their passengers to jump into the water or abandon them in dangerous austere environments.”
From October 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022, the Coast Guard has carried out seven illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico. Interdicted during this period, are 225 non-U.S. citizens including 207 Dominicans, 17 Haitians and 01 unknown nationality.
From October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022, the Coast Guard carried out 88 illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico. Interdicted during this period, are 2,273 non-U.S. citizens including 1,705 Dominicans, 444 Haitians, four Cubans, two Ecuadorians, 67 Venezuelans, 12 Uzbeks, two Iranians, one Colombian, one Spaniard and 35 of unknown nationalities.
Cutters Heriberto Hernandez, Joseph Doyle and Joseph Tezanos are 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Family members in the United States inquiring about possible family members interdicted at sea, please contact your local U.S. representative. Relatives located outside the United States please contact your local U.S. Embassy.
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