The Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment Patrol Vessel James Fulford successfully interdicted a vessel carrying 240 irregular migrants at approximately 9:33 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, 2026, within the territorial waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The interception was conducted as part of a highly coordinated maritime mission involving the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) and the TCI Border Force, in close
collaboration with the United States Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Air and Marine Operations.
Upon evaluating the migrant vessel, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force immediately upgraded the operation to a critical incident, prioritizing Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) protocols to avert a maritime disaster.
Following a secure interdiction, the 240 individuals comprising 191 adult males, 44 adult females, 1 male minor and 4 female minors were safely handed over to the RTCIPF Marine Branch and is currently being transferred to the TCI Border Force for processing and standard health and security screening.
Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant, Commanding Officer of the TCI Regiment. Said “”This mission underscores the efficacy of our multi-agency partnerships,”The rapid transition of this operation from a standard interdiction task to a high-priority SOLAS intervention demonstrates the professionalism and readiness of our joint forces. By working in seamless tandem with our U.S. partners, we successfully prevented a potential maritime tragedy.”
The TCI Regiment remains committed to securing our maritime borders and upholding the safety and security of the Turks and Caicos Islands through persistent surveillance and robust inter-
agency cooperation.
