Over 100 Haitian Migrants Intercepted off the Bahamas

On Tuesday, Bahamian authorities reported the interception of a boat carrying 111 Haitian immigrants as they attempted to reach the Bahamas' capital, Nassau. 

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According to Royal Bahamas Defense Force officials, the group comprised 92 men, 14 women, and five children were detained three nautical miles off Cayo Guinchos.

Authorities said that the Haitian migrants were handed over to immigration officials for further processing before repatriation.

Local sources said the boat was headed for Nassau, the Bahamian capital, noting that the number of migrants intercepted by the Coast Guard this year has exceeded that of the previous three years.

Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper has previously said his country would host a meeting with CARICOM leaders this year to coordinate measures to address the deteriorating situation in Haiti.

Last July, Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said support must continue to be offered to Haiti and that a CARICOM mission will assist the country in its reconciliation and reconstruction process.

A severe economic and political crisis is plaguing Haiti, whose situation has been aggravated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, rising inflation and increasing violence due to clashes between armed groups.