On Tuesday August 23, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) reported that 111 Haitian migrants (92 men, 14 women and 5 children) have been intercepted the day before aboard an overloaded sailboat 3 nautical miles in the Cayo Guinchos area, between Cuba and the Bahamas archipelago

The RBDF said the migrants were handed over to immigration authorities for processing and repatriation.

Bahamian authorities recall that these interceptions come amid an increase in the number of Haitians fleeing their country at a time of violence, kidnappings and a deep socio-economic crisis. Hundreds of Haitians take to the sea in defiance of their lives, on boats most often in poor condition bound for the Bahamas, Florida or Puerto Rico...

Bahamian authorities have said they plan to arrest this year a record number of illegal Haitian migrants, with already more than 2,350 Haitians intercepted to date, compared to 1,644 in 2021 (12 months) and 249 in 2020.

S/ iciHaiti