The Tribune

OFFICIALS on Abaco apprehended at least 30 illegal Haitian immigrants after their vessel ran aground on the island yesterday, Immigration Director William Pratt said.

Mr Pratt had limited details about the incident, but told The Tribune that a boat came ashore early yesterday with suspected illegal immigrants on board. He said Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officials were searching the area for any migrants who may have evaded early capture.

Mr Pratt said the group will likely be flown into Nassau for processing this week.

In late June, the RBDF apprehended 102 Haitian migrants in a sloop off Hawksbill Rock, which is southwest of Great Exuma.

Officials found 82 undocumented men and 20 undocumented women on board the boat.

In June, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell announced that the government spent over $1 million last year in repatriation costs for illegal immigrants.

As of June this year, he said the government spent $463,063 to send illegal immigrants home, nearly half of last year’s total cost of $1,191,250.

According to Mr Mitchell, Operation Clean Up Bahamas, which focused on road blocks in eastern and western New Providence, saw the arrest of 2,381 migrants between November 5, 2013 and May 31 of this year.

That figure is comprised of 1,846 Haitians among 536 others.

In 2013, there were 3,868 illegal migrants repatriated: 157 Cubans, 49 Dominicans, 300 Jamaicans, 3,033 Haitians and 329 of other nationalities.

Mr Mitchell also noted that 1,899 Haitians came to the Bahamas by boat.