Last Updated on October 28, 2019, 12:57 AM AST by Anthony Morris
A St Maarten online media disclosed that it was a Dash 8 aircraft that first spotted the vessel with 35 Haitian migrants on board. The media house also posted aerial photos of St Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard taking control of the rescue operation at sea.
“On Wednesday afternoon (October 23, 2019), the Dash 8 detected a sailboat with a group of persons on board of a vessel waving frantically. The Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) immediately dispatched the Coast Guard cutter “Poema” to the sailboat to assist. MRCC Fort de France (FDF) in Martinique was also informed,” SXM Daily posted minutes ago.
It added: “Onboard of the vessel there were 35 persons, including two pregnant women and undisclosed number of minors. The group was a group of illegal immigrants on their way to an unknown destination. The vessel went adrift due to engine problems which the captain could not fix.”
SXM Daily said that the Dutch Coast Guard cutter “Poema” assisted the vessel by towing it to the nearest island, St Kitts.
“All the immigrants including the captain were handed over to the St Kitts authorities for further investigation in this case,” the online news outlet said.
In a statement, the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force confirmed that the Dutch Coast Guard rescued the M.V. Ocean King which sent an emergency distress signal on October 23 and handed the vessel over to the St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard as the closest port to the boat.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
