Five (5) Cuban males were rescued and apprehended near Ragged Island by marines of the Defence Force’s Ragged Island Detachment; thanks to assistance given by local fishermen on October 2, 2022.Upon receiving reports of persons being stranded on Buena Vista Cay, two (2) Defence Force marines accompanied a local fisherman to the cay, and five (5) Cuban males along with a small makeshift vessel were discovered there. They were then transported to Ragged Island where they will be collected and taken into New Providence. In another incident, a joint effort between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), United States Coast Guard (USCG), and Operations Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), resulted in thirteen (13) Cuban migrants being intercepted and apprehended in Bahamian waters near Bimini on October 3, 2022.Acting on intelligence received, RBDF Safeboat attached to Bimini responded to a reported sighting of a rustic sailing vessel earlier that morning by a USCG aircraft. Upon arriving and further investigation, eleven (11) males and two (2) females were found to be onboard and were later transported to Bimini and handed over to Bahamas Immigration for further processing. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains resolute in its efforts to protect our borders and appreciates the cooperation and support of its regional partners and the local fishing community.
