SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crews of Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos and Dominican Republic Navy patrol boat Capella rescued 20 migrants from a disabled vessel taking on water in the Atlantic Ocean, Monday night.
The crew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a suspect 20-foot migrant vessel, approximately 30 nautical miles northeast of Samana, Dominican Republic. The Coast Guard aircrew reported seeing the migrants signaling for assistance and bailing out water from the makeshift vessel.
Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos and notified Dominican Republic Navy authorities, who directed the launch of Dominican Republic Navy patrol boat Capella to the scene. Shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos arrived on scene, and the crew provided 18 life jackets to the migrants and assisted with the safe transfer of all 20 passengers, 18 men and two women, to the patrol boat Capella.
“The quick response and effective coordination between the Coast Guard and our Dominican Republic partners and units on-scene, ensured the rescue of 20 people from this unstable and grossly overloaded disabled vessel in the darkness of the night,” said Cmdr. Matthew Romano, Sector San Juan chief of response. “Dangerous conditions such as this are common in unlawful maritime migration events between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. We urge anyone thinking of taking part in one of these voyages to not take to the sea at risk to your life, and instead seek safe, orderly and lawful migration pathways.”
Migrants who are interdicted at sea or apprehended ashore will not be allowed to stay in the United States or a U.S. territory. Furthermore, anyone who arrives unlawfully may be declared ineligible for legal immigration parole options and be repatriated to their country of origin or returned to the country of departure.
The Coast Guard, along with its Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast partners, maintains a continual presence with air, land, and sea assets in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry to the United States and its territories.
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