A group of more than 800 Haitian boat people seeking to reach the United States by sea ended their illegal journey in a town in central Cuba, in the group were 70 children and 97 women, two of whom were pregnant.

The arrival took place on Tuesday at a point called Villa Blanca, near the town of Caibarién, some 300 kilometers east of Havana, in the province of Villa Clara.

Although it is not uncommon for Haitian migrants seeking to reach the United States to end up in Cuba due to winds and ocean currents, there has never been such a large group.

The migrants intended to reach the United States by irregular means, adverse navigation conditions diverted them to Cuba where they requested help from border guard troops.

The migrants received appropriate care from rescuers before being taken to a temporary reception centre. They should be returned to Haiti under existing agreements between that country and Havana.

HL/ HaitiLibre