On Sunday, Vigilant cutter (WMEC-617) from the US Coast Guard's 7th District, based in Port Canaveral, Florida, helped the Haitian coastguard intercept a boat that was packed with about 70 Haitian migrants.

It was around 1:30 am that the Vigilant crew spotted the boat about 40 feet about 26 miles north of Cap Haitien. The Vigilant crew continued to follow the boat and made contact with the Haitian Coast Guard before forcing the Haitian boat to change course.

A maritime unit of the coastguard of Haiti arrived at the scene around 9:30 am and took over, accompanying the boat in its return to Haiti with its 70 passengers safe and sound.

SL/ HaitiLibre