Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard

MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 99 Haitians stopped at sea roughly 35 miles north of Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

The 99 passengers were on board a 35-foot overloaded vessel transiting north toward the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Coast Guard said.

“The Coast Guard remains steadfast in our defense of the U.S. maritime borders and approaches with patrols in the Florida Straits, Windward and Mona Passages to interdict unlawful maritime migration attempts before they reach our shores,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brent Pearson, Coast Guard liaison officer to U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. “Attempting illegal migration in overloaded, unsafe vessels with no safety equipment is extremely dangerous and puts you and your loved one’s lives at risk. Don’t take to the sea just to be sent back.”

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, aliens were processed to determine their identity and provided food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation to their country of origin or return to the country of their departure.

Since 2024, the Coast Guard has returned 412 Haitians to their homeland.

Haitians are seeking to escape the ongoing gang violence that has claimed thousands of lives and cut of food and medical supplies for those in need.