Friday, December 20 at around 5:00 p.m., during a routine patrol, an OPBAT (Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos ) helicopter spotted a wooden boat overloaded off "Little Inagua" with a number unknown migrants on board.

185 migrants of Haitian origin were arrested after 11:00 p.m. during a joint operation of the RBDF Royal Bahamas Defense Force of the OPBAT and the authorities of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI)

"A total of 84 persons were taken aboard the USCG Cutter, which will be transferred to the TCI authorities, and the 101 migrants onboard HMBS BAHAMAS will be transported to Mathew Town, Inagua for further processing by Immigration authorities on Haiti."

In a statement the RBDF said "The RBDF has been implementing measures to address threats and challenges of

the influx of migrants from Haiti, especially as the southeasterly winds become more favourable for an easier sojourn into the Bahamas [...]"

S/ HaitiLibre