SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser repatriated 63 out of 66 migrants to two Dominican Republic Navy vessels on Saturday, following the interception of a migration vessel in the Mona Passage on Friday. The operation was conducted after the Coast Guard identified a makeshift vessel that was dangerously overloaded.
According to the Coast Guard, three of the migrants are being held in federal custody as they face investigations and potential charges related to illegal reentry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1326. The migrants were aboard a 30-foot vessel that was discovered approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, during a routine patrol by the U.S. Coast Guard’s HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft.
Upon detection, the Coast Guard diverted the Winslow Griesser to intercept the vessel and dispatched an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen for aerial support. The safety of the migrants was a priority, and the crew safely transported all individuals from the overloaded vessel, which included 55 men and four women who claimed to be from the Dominican Republic, alongside six men and one woman who reported being Haitian.
Lieutenant Alex Kearney, commanding officer of the Cutter Winslow Griesser, expressed pride in his crew’s efforts. “They saved 66 people from a dangerously overloaded vessel attempting to transit across a vast ocean with little to no safety equipment,” Kearney stated. He emphasized the risks associated with such maritime journeys and warned that those involved in illegal smuggling could face prosecution and imprisonment.
After the interdiction, the Cutter Winslow Griesser met with Dominican Republic Navy vessels Bellatrix and Acrux to complete the process of repatriating 63 migrants. Current regulations state that individuals apprehended at sea, or those who illegally enter the U.S. or its territories, will not be permitted to remain and may face repatriation or return to their countries of departure.
The U.S. Coast Guard continues to operate under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, which focuses on eliminating criminal activities related to human smuggling and trafficking. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance safety at sea and prevent unlawful maritime entry into the United States.
