Coast Guard interdicts 23 illegal migrants 11 miles east of Pompano Beach

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C.Webber (WPC-1101) interdicted 23 illegal migrants with multiple nationalities 11 miles east of Pompano Beach attempting to illegally enter the United States Saturday. The Bernard C. Webber crew sighted the 25-foot cabin cruiser with six adult Chinese females - three of whom were interdicted by the Coast Guard less than year ago for illegal entry into the United States - one adult Guyanese female, one adult Colombian female, five adult Haitian females, six adult Haitian males, three accompanied Haitian male minors and one unaccompanied Haitian male onboard. “These illegal maritime migration voyages are extremely dangerous and put the safety of those aboard in great jeopardy. The Coast Guard remains poised to intercept these smuggling events in an effort to prevent the unnecessary loss of life,” said Petty Officer Second Class Ryan Etelmaki, boarding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber. Six of the migrants interdicted, four Chinese nationals, one Guyanese national and one Haitian national, were handed over to Border Patrol for processing and Homeland Security Investigations is now investigating this case. The remaining 17 migrants were transferred to the Royal Bahamian Defense Force and appropriate child services in Freeport, Bahamas Sunday. Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C.Webber is a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Miami, Florida, which is able to carry out Coast Guard missions with greater endurance and interoperability with military and federal partners.