By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORTY-TWO Cuban migrants were brought to Grand Bahama and turned over to Bahamian authorities on Friday morning.

The migrants were intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard in four separate incidents in the Cay Sal Bank area.

The crew of the USCG Robert Yered took 40 men and two women into custody and arrived at Lucayan Harbour around 8am.

Immigration officer Napthali Cooper reported that the migrants were trying to reach to United States and were spotted on Thursday by the US Coast Guard.

“This is the second group of migrants … for this week alone,” Mr Cooper said, noting that 12 Cubans were brought to Grand Bahama on Monday. 

He said that the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marine Division and Royal Bahamas Defence Force assisted in transporting the group to Immigration headquarters, where the migrants were processed and examined by a medical team.

The group is expected to be flown to New Providence to be held at the Detention Centre to await repatriation.

Mr Cooper said this latest group brings the total number of migrants processed by Immigration officials this week to 54.