MIAMI – Coast Guard Cutter Valiant's crew repatriated 182 people to Haiti, Friday, following an interdiction south of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
A Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations multi-purpose aircraft aircrew notified Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders of an overloaded makeshift vessel at approximately 10:15 a.m., Sunday. District Seven watchstanders diverted the crew of Coast Guard Cutter William Trump to interdict the vessel.
“Hurricane Helene will not interfere with the Coast Guard's ability to detect and interdict unlawful maritime migration attempts,” said Lt. Thomas Pease, a Coast Guard Seventh District enforcement officer. "The Coast Guard and our partners will continue to monitor the Windward Passage, Mona Passage, and the Florida Straits. Don't take to the sea."
Since Oct. 1, 2023, the Coast Guard has repatriated a total of 857 migrants to Haiti.
Anyone attempting unlawful maritime migration will be rescued and repatriated to their country of origin or departure.
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, migrants are processed to determine their identity and are provided food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation to their country of origin or return to the country from which they departed.
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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