MIAMI, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dependable's crew transferred 96 Haitians, one Ugandan, and one Bahamian to Bahamian authorities today, following an interdiction 20 miles east of Boca Raton earlier this week.
On Wednesday, October 12, 2022, an Air Station Miami H-65 helicopter aircrew alerted Sector Miami watchstanders at approximately 10:15 a.m. of an overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser with men, women and children aboard waving their arms through the windows.
The occupants of the vessel stated they were at sea for seven days, spending their final two days without food or water.
There were 53 males, 35 females, and 10 children aboard the boat. No injuries were reported.
"Paying anyone to smuggle you into the U.S. is dangerous and illegal," said Capt. Robert Kinsey, Coast Guard District Seven. "Smugglers do not care whether you live or die as evident by how recklessly overloaded this with was and how long these people went without food and water. These people are lucky to be alive."
The number of Haitian migrants interdicted by Coast Guard crews has dramatically risen in the last two fiscal years.
Unlike the calendar year, which begins on January 1 and ends December 31, a fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, since October 1, 2022, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 96 Haitian migrants compared to:
- 7,137 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2022
- 1,527 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021
- 418 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
- 932 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
- 609 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
- 419 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017
Once aboard a Coast Guard Cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical care.