MIAMI, 19 Septanm 2024 – Nan yon aksyon enpòtan imanitè ak aplikasyon lalwa maritim, ekipaj kouto Gad Kòt Bear la te reyisi voye 124 moun tounen Ayiti mèkredi sa a. Operasyon sa a te reponn a de ensidan separe ki enplike bato ki twò chaje e ki pa ekipe kòrèkteman toupre kòt ayisyen an.
Yon dezyèm obsèvasyon pa yon ekipaj HC-144 Ocean Sentry te mennen nan yon lòt entèsepsyon bonè dimanch maten. Fwa sa a, yo te voye Bear la ansanm ak kouto Kathleen Moore pou jere sitiyasyon an. Tou de epizòd yo montre jan sa danjere pou fè tankou migrasyon iregilye sa yo.
Lt. Cmdr. Brent Pearson, ofisye lyazon Gad Kòt la nan Anbasad Ameriken an Ayiti, te mete aksan sou danje vwayaj sa yo. “Eseye fè migrasyon ilegal nan bato twò chaje, ki pa sekirize ak san ekipman sekirite se ekstrèmman danjere epi sa mete lavi ou ak lavi moun ou renmen yo an risk,” li deklare. Pearson ankouraje moun ki ta vle migre pou yo chèche chemen ki pi sekirize e legal.
Apre yo te sove, migran yo te resevwa swen esansyèl abò kouto Gad Kòt yo, ki gen ladan manje, dlo, abri, ak swen medikal debaz, anvan yo te voye yo tounen nan peyi yo. Mezi sa yo fè pati misyon pi laj Gad Kòt la pou pwoteje lavi nan lanmè ak fè respekte lwa maritim yo.
Depi kòmansman ane fiskal la 1ye oktòb 2023, yon total de 631 migran te voye tounen Ayiti. Aksyon sa yo fè pati Operasyon Vigilant Sentry, ki fèt pa Gad Kòt la ak patnè li yo nan Task Force Sekirite Teritwa Sidès la. Inisyativ sa a enplike yon prezans solid nan Detroit Florid, Pasaj Vanward, Pasaj Mona, ak Lanmè Karayib la pou asire sekirite maritim epi anpeche antre ilegal nan Etazini ak teritwa li yo.
Gad Kòt la kontinye kolabore ak Sekirite Teritwa pou kenbe sekirite ak èd imanitè nan rejyon maritim yo ki antoure Etazini ak teritwa li yo. Ou ka jwenn plis enfòmasyon ak dènye nouvèl sou misyon sa a nan kominike ak fèy enfòmasyon Depatman Sekirite Teritwa Ameriken an.
According to Coast Guard officials, the first vessel was intercepted on Friday evening when a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew observed the severely overloaded makeshift vessel. Reacting swiftly, Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders dispatched the crew of Coast Guard Cutter William Trump, which managed to halt the unsafe journey.
A second sighting by an HC-144 Ocean Sentry crew led to another interdiction early Sunday morning. This time, the Bear along with the Cutter Kathleen Moore were diverted to manage the situation. Both episodes underscore the perilous nature of such irregular migration attempts.
Lt. Cmdr. Brent Pearson, Coast Guard liaison officer to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, emphasized the dangers of these voyages. “Attempting unlawful migration in overloaded, unsafe vessels with no safety equipment is extremely dangerous and puts you and your loved ones’ lives at risk,” he stated. Pearson urged potential migrants to seek safer, lawful migration pathways instead.
Upon rescue, migrants received essential care aboard Coast Guard cutters, including food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention, before their repatriation. Such measures are part of the broader Coast Guard mission to safeguard lives at sea and enforce maritime laws.
Since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, 2023, a total of 631 migrants have been repatriated to Haiti. These actions are part of Operation Vigilant Sentry, undertaken by the Coast Guard and its Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast partners. This initiative involves a robust presence in the Florida Straits, Windward Passage, Mona Passage, and Caribbean Sea to ensure maritime safety and prevent unlawful entry to the United States.
The Coast Guard continues to collaborate with Homeland Security to maintain security and humanitarian aid in the maritime regions surrounding the U.S. and its territories. Additional information and updates on this mission can be accessed through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s press releases and fact sheets.
