Coast Guard observers in San Juan, Puerto Rico, received a call Nov. 15 from U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Ramey sector, reporting a small campfire on the island of Monito Cay, a uninhabited and inhospitable nature reserve in the middle of the Mona Passage (between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic).

The crew of the US Coast Guard cutter "Joseph Tezanos" (based in San Juan), diverted to investigate this report and confirmed that a group of unidentified people, appearing in distress, were stranded on the island of Monito.

The Joseph Tezanos floated a small boat to approach Monito. On instructions, those stranded on the island made their way to the lowest point of the cliff. Once the small boat was in position, each person jumped out to sea one after another where they were safely picked up by the crew.

A total of 12 people of Haitian origin were thus saved. The survivors said that they had been abandoned by smugglers on Monito Bay and waited for help for 5 days...

Once aboard the Joseph Tezanos, the Haitians (7 men and 5 women) received food, water and basic medical care. They were later transferred to US Border Patrol agents in the Ramey sector in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Following the rescue, which fortunately ended well, Lieutenant Henry Ward, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos said, ""We urge anyone considering taking part in an illegal voyage that they do not take to the sea. The dangers of these voyages are quite real, and smugglers will not hesitate to abandon people in very austere and highly dangerous environments like Monito. (as was the case in June 2022 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-36984-icihaiti-rescue-27-haitians-rescued-on-a-desert-island-in-puerto-rico.html )

See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37284-icihaiti-puerto-ricothe-68-survivors-of-mona-island-transported-to-mayaguez.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37267-haiti-flash-illegal-haitian-migrants-found-dead-off-puerto-rico.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-36984-icihaiti-rescue-27-haitians-rescued-on-a-desert-island-in-puerto-rico.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34503-icihaiti-rescue-48-illegal-haitians-abandoned-on-an-island-in-the-strait-of-mona.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12484-haiti-social-70-haitian-abandoned-in-mona-island.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9374-haiti-social-again-57-haitians-abandoned-on-a-desert-island.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9156-haiti-social-84-haitian-abandoned-on-a-desert-island.html

IH/ iciHaiti