Haiti - Social : 125 Haitian migrants repatriated to Cap Haitien
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Reliance (WMEC-615) repatriated yesterday Thursday 125 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitien.
Tuesday a Coast Guard Air Station Miami aircrew located a sail freighter north of Cape Du Mole, Haiti. The aircrew vectored in the crew of the Reliance, who distributed lifejackets to the 125 Haitian migrants on the grossly overloaded vessel and embarked them aboard the cutter. Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants are provided with food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.
"The Coast Guard strongly advises against taking to sea in an attempt to illegally enter the United States," said Capt. Eduardo Pino, 7th Coast Guard District chief of response. "Taking to sea in a grossly overloaded vessel with little or no safety gear needlessly places human lives at risk. The Coast Guard will continue to rescue Haitian migrants from their peril at sea and will always do so in a humanitarian and professional manner that preserves the dignity of all people."
For two weeks no less than 481 migrants were repatriated to Haiti and on December 24, 45 Haitians drowned to a hundred meters from Punta de Maisi, extreme eastern Cuba while trying to reach the Cuban coast...
