Sunday, 16 days after the sinking of a boat where at least 28 Haitians drowned six miles off the Abaco Islands north of the Bahamas archipelago https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26849-haiti-social-bahamas-shipwreck-last-balance-19-survivors-and-28-deaths.html , a pleasure boat sailing west of the Exuma Islands in the archipelago of the Bahamas, reported to the authorities the presence of a boat overloaded with people who seemed in trouble.

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) together with the US Coast Guard launched a location operation and intercepted nearly 19 km off the small island Hawksbill Cay disqualified in Exuma, an overloaded boat carrying more than 60 Haitians in irregular migratory situation fleeing Haiti.

The RBDF indicated that the Haitians would be transferred to Nassau where they will be handed over to the immigration authorities.

Recall that because of political tension in Haiti, the Bahamas government decided Sunday, Feb. 17, to temporarily suspend and with immediate effect all deportations of Haitian arrested in irregular migration situation. https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26969-icihaiti-politic-the-bahamas-temporarily-suspend-deportations-of-haitians.html

In addition, due to political instability in Haiti, Bahamian security forces fearing an exodus of Haitians to the Bahamas by sea, Haiti being located less than 800 km from the archipelago, are on alert maximum. Note that this is the 7th boat intercepted since the beginning of the year...

See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26969-icihaiti-politic-the-bahamas-temporarily-suspend-deportations-of-haitians.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26934-icihaiti-bahamas-the-embassy-of-haiti-wants-to-solve-the-madness-of-boat-people.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26723-icihaiti-security-rescue-of-31-haitians-by-the-us-coast-guard.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26652-haiti-flash-first-flight-of-haitians-deported-from-the-bahamas-expected-today.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26633-icihaiti-social-130-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-off-the-bahamas.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26594-icihaiti-bahamas-4th-boat-of-illegal-haitian-migrants-intercepted-in-7-days.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26565-haiti-bahamas-16-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-east-of-south-beach.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25309-haiti-flash-the-bahamas-will-demolish-all-slums-where-haitians-live.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12477-haiti-politic-the-hunt-for-illegals-is-open-to-the-bahamas.html

SL/ HaitiLibre