Tuesday, June 16, a group of 54 Haitian migrants who had been rescued off the coast of St. John last week by the US Coast Guard, were repatriated to Haiti.

Officials said that a Caribbean Air & Marine Branch aircraft ad reported a suspicious boat, just south of St. John last Wednesday.

The boat crew of the Coast Guard station in San Juan (Puerto Rico), rescued migrants and provided them with food, water and basic medical care. Two suspected smugglers were detained for questioning.

Note that since 1 October 2014, the Coast Guard estimates that 2,231 Haitians, 2,700 Dominicans and 468 Cubans tried to migrate illegally to the United States by sea.

IH/ iciHaiti