The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Keith Bell confirmed yesterday that officers are searching for a group of Haitian migrants who drifted in waters off the remote coast of Andros after avoiding capture by local authorities.

He said officers were being sent to the island to conduct further checks and rescue the group who he said landed in a “very treacherous area”.

More than 100 undocumented Haitian migrants were apprehended on Sunday after their vessel was spotted off Andros on Friday.

The Immigration Department said law enforcement was carrying out routine patrols and surveillance on Friday when they discovered the Haitian vessel.

According to Minister Bell, the boat was reportedly en route to the US.

“This appears to be an increasing trend to avoid interception by Bahamian authorities,” he added.

“A team from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Department of Immigration was immediately dispatched to investigate and apprehend the unlawful entrants. Initial aerial surveillance showed distressed persons seeking assistance.

“Given the remote location of the landing, the unlawful entrants were taken into custody on the 5th of March.”

Mr Bell said following an extensive search of the area, some 120 Haitians were taken into custody.

These included 116 men, nine women and two children, he also said.

“I must indicate that information received up to this morning that there are a dozen or so more which have drifted in other areas in the cays and so we are now sending a team back in there to do a secondary check to make sure we rescue these people.”

In the meantime, the minister said repatriations will continue, with $350,000 spent on the exercises so far this year.

He also continued his plea to people living illegally in The Bahamas and repeated his warnings for them “to leave”.

“I further encourage persons who may have family in Haiti, Cuba or elsewhere who may be contemplating entering The Bahamas illegally to warn them not to do so. Persons found illegally in this country or found attempting to enter this country illegally will be deported and placed on a restricted list which will completely bar them from any future entry to The Bahamas for any reason.

“The Bahamas maintains an organised system to allow for the lawful entry and orderly processing of applicants for entry into the Bahamas. This is the only process by which persons should enter the country.”