A small boat with 159 Haitian migrants ran aground near Turks and Caicos
A sail freighter overloaded with 159 Haitians trying to get into the Turks and Caicos Islands were rescued after getting stuck on Molasses Reef Friday, Turks and Caicos police said..
The U.S. Coast Guard said a MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter out of Air Station Clearwater spotted the boat on the reef, about 13 miles east of the West Caicos Islands, and sent its location to Turks and Caicos police and marine units.
Turks and Caicos police said they picked up the migrants “in a protected and dangerous rescue” assisted by the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources and local mariners, in addition to the U.S. Coast Guard.
No injuries were reported among those rescued, who would be taken back to Haiti.
This story was originally published January 17, 2021 at 9:10 AM.
