ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Coast Guard crews from Florida encountered a dangerous situation while investigating an overloaded sailing vessel.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
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.
Read: US Coast Guard in Florida stops hundreds fleeing Cuba, Haiti by sea, returns most
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.
Read: Shipwreck off Italy: Stadium filled with coffins of migrants
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.
Read: Survivors of deadly Mexico abduction returned to US
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.