USCG: 145 Haitian migrants on boat stopped in Bahamian waters; some threatened to harm kids aboard

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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