A sailing vessel overloaded, carrying 80 Haitian migrants was spotted Sunday by a Coast Guard helicopter at about 4 miles south of Matthewtown, Bahamas. After a request for assistance under a bilateral agreement with the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the ship Escanaba of the coast guard went to the scene to intercept the boat.

After provided life jackets to the passengers, the Coast Guard has transhipped the Haitians aboard the Escanaba where they received food, water and basic medical care.

The destroyer of the HMBS Nortec RBDF (Royal Bahamas Defense Force), joined the Coast Guard ship and destroyed the boat of migrants, considered dangerous for navigation.

The destroyer HMBS Nortec of the RBDF (Royal Bahamas Defense Force), joined the Coast Guard ship and destroyed the boat of migrants, considered dangerous for navigation.

The Escanaba repatriated 80 migrants yesterday in Cap Haitien in Haiti. Repatriation which is added to an already long list of our compatriots who fled poverty and insecurity, risking their lives in flimsy boats, exploited by unscrupulous traffickers.

PI/ HaitiLibre