The Ministry of Border Control and Employment Services, on Sunday, March 31st 2019, through the Task Force Unit of its Immigration Department, received a report around 8:00 am that there was a possible capsized sloop in the waters off of West Caicos. Shortly thereafter Immigration officials, along with members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Marine Branch, were dispatched to the area where it was further confirmed that a sloop had capsized and several passengers had survived, while a number of them had died.
During the day’s rescue attempts, a total of fourteen souls were saved and detained, while another fourteen bodies were recovered from the water. The search continues today with the hopes of recovering any remaining bodies that might still be at sea.
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Border Control and Employment Services, Hon. Sean Astwood, in speaking to this horrific incident, expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased and especially to Haitian people both here and abroad for the unfortunate loss. Hon. Astwood further took the time to agitate against illegal migration and admonished persons living in the Turks and Caicos Islands, especially within the Haitian community, not to encourage and or facilitate their friends and family members in Haiti in taking this dangerous voyage.
In recent months, there has been an increase in arrivals of illegal migrants, mainly from the Republic of Haiti. In its efforts to address this activity, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government has made and continues to make attempts to gain greater cooperation from the Haitian government including the Haitian Consulate here in the TCI to address the concerning situation of illegal migrant sloops, however to no avail. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government continues to advance opportunities for cooperation with the government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, on which further information will be shared in coming weeks.
The Ministry of Border Control and Employment Services extends its sincere appreciation and commendation to its brave officers in the Task Force and the entire Department of Immigration, the Marine Branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and all other stakeholder and partner agencies who assist in the response to illegal migration activities for their hard work and dedication in helping to keep the Turks and Caicos Islands safe.
