Defence Headquarters, 12 MAR. ’24: The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) has successfully apprehended one hundred and seven (107) Haitian migrants in waters near Matthew Town, Inagua, on Monday, March 12th, 2024.
This operation involved a collaborative effort between RBDF surface assets HMBS Bahamas and HMBS Kamalamee. Both vessels are part of the ongoing southern Bahamas blockade, as recently announced by Commodore Raymond King. This initiative focuses on patrolling overlapping zones – the northern coast of Haiti, the Old Bahama Channel, and the Windward Passage – to deter and intercept unauthorized entry attempts.
In a separate recent operation, HMBS Bahamas, along with service members from Turks and Caicos under the established ship rider agreement, successfully apprehended 140 Haitian migrants in waters near Turks and Caicos.
Following today’s apprehension, HMBS Kamalamee safely transported the migrants (89 male, 17 female, and 1 child) to Matthew Town, Inagua, where they were transferred to the appropriate local authorities.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains committed to safeguarding the nation’s borders and territorial integrity, working collaboratively with regional partners.