U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 240 Migrants from Leaking Vessel Near Turks and Caicos
On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard, in collaboration with partner agencies, successfully intercepted and rescued a vessel carrying approximately 240 maritime migrants off the coast of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The vessel, a 50-foot Haitian migrant boat, was spotted by a Customs and Border Protection patrol plane about 65 nautical miles south of the islands. The boat was equipped with two outboard engines and was heading north. Upon detection, the Coast Guard dispatched a search aircraft, which found the vessel taking on water at a significant rate, with occupants bailing out water using buckets. The Coast Guard coordinated with local law enforcement to tow the vessel and transfer the migrants to the Turks and Caicos Border Force for custody. Lt. Chelsea Garcia, Coast Guard deputy director of Operations Bahamas Turks and Caicos, emphasized the dangers of such maritime migration attempts, urging individuals to seek legal and safe migration avenues.