Dozens of migrants were rescued near the Dominican Republic on Monday night as their makeshift vessel, which was taking on water, was detected by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The 35-foot vessel was found approximately 13 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic. The USCG, along with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircrew and a Dominican Republic navy patrol boat, worked together to rescue the migrants.
The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier approached the vessel and provided life jackets to all the migrants on board. As the vessel grew unstable due to the water it was taking on, the Coast Guard crew transferred seven migrants onto their own vessel. The remaining 53 migrants were taken aboard the Dominican Republic navy patrol boat. Eventually, the USCG transferred the seven migrants to the Dominican navy boat.
Lt. Matthew Carmine, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier, expressed pride in the crew’s execution of the rescue operation, highlighting the seamless cooperation between the USCG, CBP, and Dominican Navy counterparts. A total of 60 lives were saved through their joint efforts.
The Coast Guard has been actively intercepting unlawful migration voyages in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico. In the previous month alone, they stopped nine such voyages, preventing the entry of 206 non-U.S. citizens, including 201 Dominicans and five Haitians. Over the past year, from October 2022 to September 2023, the Coast Guard has intercepted 67 unlawful voyages, interdicting 2,161 non-U.S. citizens. This includes 1,871 Dominicans, 264 Haitians, 15 Venezuelans, seven Kazakhs, two Colombians, one Albanian, and one individual of unknown nationality.
The efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard in rescuing migrants and preventing unlawful migration highlight their commitment to border security and safety at sea.
