BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Police Marine Officers intercepted a Haitian vessel on Friday with 58 Haitian nationals on board. The officers were on patrol in the Exuma Cays when they discovered the boat.

The vessel and those on board - 52 males and six females - were turned over to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Defence Force patrol craft HMBS Cascarilla, under the command of Senior Lieutenant Samantha Hart, brought the migrants to shore where they were turned over to immigration officials for further processing.

Meanwhile US Coast Guard officials intercepted 15 people - including two Bahamians - who were discovered onboard a disabled vessel in US waters during an failed alleged human trafficking operation from Grand Bahama, according to an immigration official. Four people - two Bahamians and two Haitians - are being kept in US custody pending further investigations in connection with human smuggling and to face possible prosecution in the US.

However, the 11 migrants found onboard the vessel - found at sea in US waters on November 5 - were returned to Grand Bahama, where they were taken into custody by Bahamian authorities.