Written by
Nick Blenkey
Coast Guard Station San Juan crew transferred custody of apprehended stowaway migrants to CBP Workplace of Discipline Operations personnel at Coast Guard Base San Juan [U.S. Coast Guard photo]
U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Safety have apprehended 12 stowaway migrants in a response that started at 8.43 a.m Saturday, Nov. 25, when watchstanders at Sector San Juan obtained notification from a Coast Guard Station San Juan boat crew of a doable stowaway sighting aboard a barge that was being towed by the tugboat Sarah Dann.
Coast Guard Sector San Juan’s Boarding Group responded to the report and located 9 stowaways aboard the barge, together with one who was unresponsive. The unresponsive stowaway was reported to be respiratory and to have important indicators. The boarding group additionally realized that three different stowaways within the group had jumped into the water throughout the vessel’s transit simply off the doorway of San Juan Harbor.
Coast Guard watchstanders directed Coast Guard on-scene models to seek for the three reported stowaways within the water, whereas a Puerto Rico Joint Forces of Fast Motion marine unit additionally responded to help. Shortly thereafter, U.S. Border Patrol authorities apprehended two of the stowaways who had been capable of swim to shore, whereas the remaining stowaway was rescued from the water by a Coast Guard Station San Juan crew aboard a 33-foot Particular Function Craft – Legislation Enforcement.
A Station San Juan boat crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat Medium transported the 9 stowaways from the barge to Coast Guard Base San Juan the place Customs and Border Safety Workplace of Discipline Operations models obtained them into custody, whereas the unresponsive stowaway was obtained and transported by Emergency Medical Service personnel to a neighborhood hospital.
“I can’t emphasize sufficient simply how harmful it’s to have stowaways board or bounce from a transferring barge,” mentioned Capt. Robert M. Pirone, Sector San Juan performing commander. “The fast response and shut collaboration of all responding Coast Guard and accomplice company models prevented a tragic end result and accounted for the security of all of the stowaways on this case.”
Migrants who’re interdicted at sea or apprehended ashore is not going to be allowed to remain in the USA or a U.S. territory. Moreover, anybody migrants who arrive unlawfully could also be declared ineligible for authorized immigration parole choices and be repatriated to their nation of origin or returned to the nation that the voyage departed from.
From Oct. 1, 2023, by way of Oct. 31, 2023, the Coast Guard carried out 9 interdictions of illegal irregular migration voyages within the Mona Passage and waters close to Puerto Rico. Interdicted throughout this era had been 206 non-U.S. residents together with 201 Dominicans, and 5 Haitians.
From Oct. 1, 2022, by way of Sep. 30, 2023, the Coast Guard carried out 67 interdictions of illegal irregular maritime migration voyages within the Mona Passage and waters close to Puerto Rico. Interdicted throughout this era had been 2,161 non-U.S. residents together with 1,871 Dominicans, 264 Haitians, 15 Venezuelans, seven Kazakhs, one Albanian, two Colombians and one particular person of unknown nationality.
