ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Coast Guard crews from Florida encountered a dangerous situation while investigating an overloaded sailing vessel.
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Officials said a U.S. Coast Guard ship was given permission to enter Bahamian waters around 10:30 a.m. Sunday when is spotted a suspicious boat.
It was found to be an illegal migrant voyage with 145 people aboard, according to a report.
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Coast Guard crews said as they approached the vessel, some of the adults aboard threatened to harm a few children on the boat if they got any closer.
Coast Guard officials said the crews shadowed the vessel for several hours and employed a variety of techniques to keep everyone safe.
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The people on the Haitian boat eventually gave their compliance and crews were able to de-escalate the situation.
The migrants were transferred to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, officials said.
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#Breaking Find the below statement & images for a Haitian interdiction in Bahamian waters while @USCG Cutter Tampa’s crew was on patrol, Sun., at approximately 10:30 a.m. #Partnerships w/ @RBDF & The Bahamas remain strong working to stop illegal migration at sea & save lives. pic.twitter.com/jdpqHXQ9xH
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) March 6, 2023
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