A U.S. Coast Guard interdiction operation off the coast of Puerto Rico has ended with 32 migrants repatriated to the Dominican Republic, following the interception of an overloaded makeshift craft carrying 40 undocumented people. The incident unfolded in waters near Desecheo Island, a small uninhabited landmass located just west of Puerto Rico’s main island.
The operation was triggered when a surveillance aircraft operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection spotted the suspicious vessel, which measured between 20 and 30 feet in length and was carrying a far larger number of passengers than it was designed to hold. Acting on the intelligence, the Coast Guard cutter Heriberto Hernandez intercepted the unregistered boat on Sunday, and all 40 people aboard were taken into custody without incident.
A demographic breakdown of the passengers released by U.S. authorities shows the group included 36 citizens of the Dominican Republic, three Haitian nationals, and one individual from Uzbekistan. Under the agency’s ongoing regional framework to reduce dangerous irregular migration across Caribbean waters, 32 of the migrants were transferred for repatriation back to Dominican territory.
Coast Guard leaders emphasized that the successful operation is a clear demonstration of effective interagency coordination between frontline maritime security units and the Department of Homeland Security’s dedicated task force for regional migration enforcement. Commander Matthew Romano, response chief for the Coast Guard’s Sector San Juan, commended the disciplined, professional work of all crews involved in disrupting the unlawful sea migration attempt, noting that such operations also reduce the risk of life-threatening harm to migrants attempting dangerous ocean crossings.