Twenty-six Cuban Nationals Apprehended at Sea
The U.S. Coast Guard officials brought two more groups of Cubans seeking to reach the United States on-board rustic vessels as they traversed through the Cay Sal Bank.
Napthali Cooper, Immigration Officer, Grade One confirmed that at approximately 12 noon on Monday, Bahamas Immigration officers were called to the Lucayan Harbour to rendezvous with USCG Cutter Richard Etheridge.
“The 26 Cuban migrants who were intercepted in two separate incidents over the weekend by the U.S. Coastguard while on patrol in the Cay Sal Bank area were turned over to the local Immigration officers for processing,” established Cooper.
He furthered that this most recent group fleeing Cuba comprised of 22 males and four females.
The local immigration officer acknowledged that from the Lucayan Harbour the migrants were then transported to Immigration Headquarters for further processing.
“One of the females and at least two of the males claimed to have been interdicted at sea prior to this interception and that was as recent as January this year. After being handed over to Bahamas Immigration in Freeport on that occasion these Cubans were flown to the Detention Center in New Providence and later repatriated to Cuba,” Cooper stated.
Cooper added that this latest group of migrants would be flown to New Providence to be housed at the Detention Centre until repatriated to Cuba.
This latest group brings the number of Cuban nationals intercepted and processed on Grand Bahama to a staggering 79 for 2016, which comprises 69 percent of those intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard this year.
Source: The Freeport News
