The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORTY SEVEN Cuban migrants have been intercepted at sea in the Bahamas over the past two days this week, according to Bahamas Immigration officials.

Napthali Cooper, Immigration officer, reported that US Coast Guard officials intercepted three groups of migrants in the Cay Sal Bank area and brought them to Freeport, Grand Bahama, where they were turned over to the authorities on Wednesday. Mr Cooper said the group consisted of 41 men and six women who had left Cuba and were headed to the United States. Immigration officials were assisted by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in transporting the migrants to Immigration headquarters.

They were examined by medical staff of the Disease and Surveillance Unit at the Public Hospitals Authority. The group was flown to New Providence yesterday and taken to the Detention Centre to await repatriation.