It has not yet been disclosed whether any of the twelve illegal Haitian migrants, who escaped from the detention centre at South Dock, have been recaptured.
The twelve were among the 139 illegal Haitian migrants who were towed to South Dock and placed into custody at the detention centre last Friday morning after their vessel was intercepted two miles off French Cay.
A multi-agency statement released by the governments press office this morning, said immigration authorities have completed the repatriation of the passengers on the two sloops intercepted in the territorial waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands last Wednesday and Friday.
The Police reported that Fridays sloop carried 139 prospective irregular immigrants; 115 males and 24 females. No children were identified. The 45 foot wooden sloop was intercepted two miles off French Cay and towed to South Dock.
Wednesdays sloop, intercepted seven miles north-east of French Cay, carried 117 persons, including 90 males, 21 females and ten children.
“In line with the TCI National Contingency Plan all subjects were brought ashore by the Police on other vessels and handed over to Immigration Officials for detention, processing and repatriation as appropriate, via the Detention Centre at Five Cays.
Twelve of the persons held on Wednesday were reported to have escaped from the Centre and are being sought by the police.
Repatriation began with the children who were received on Friday by IoM officials in Haiti to be looked after in safety while their families are traced.
The repatriation to Haiti is undertaken in conjunction with the Haitian authorities to ensure that proper arrangements are made to receive and resettle the would-be migrants, especially the children and otherwise vulnerable migrants.
Meanwhile in an updated release this afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that “Last night (Monday), it rescued approximately 125 individuals from a grossly overloaded vessel transiting in international waters off the north coast of Haiti.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it continues to work closely with TCI Marine Division and Police Force personnel while continuing patrols in the waters between the Turks and Caicos, and Haiti and the Windward Passage in order to protect life at sea.”
