Haitian migrant vessel intercepted in joint Turks and Caicos-US operation

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Sep 22, 2026

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The government of Turks and Caicos has intercepted another overcrowded boat from Haiti attempting to drop off migrants.

Members of the British overseas territory’s marine branch, working with U.S. maritime operations personnel, intercepted the illegal vessel early Tuesday inside their territorial waters, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said in a statement. The small blue fishing boat had 60 Haitians aboard.

The vessel was detected during ongoing maritime surveillance and border security operations aimed at combating illegal migration and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the archipelago, police added.

“This successful interception demonstrates the value of strong partnerships and coordinated border security operations,” said Acting Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams, commending the collaborative efforts of the agencies involved.

Located less than 100 miles from Haiti’s northern coast, the island-chain is seeing an increase in desperate Haitians trying to reach its shores as more of them are being deported from the neighboring Dominican Republic and from the United States, which terminated Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 Haitians over the summer.

In addition to the increased number of deportations, Haitians continue to be confronted with acute hunger amid a worsening humanitarian crisis and a surge in gang-fueled violence and kidnappings. Last week, heavily armed members of the gangs Gran Grif and Kokorat San Ras launched a violent attack in Saint-Michel-de-l’Attalaye, a rural community in the country’s Artibonite region located not far from northern Haiti, where many of the nearly 1.5 million people who have been forced to flee their homes have sought refuge.

So far this year, the Turks and Caicos has intercepted 1,435 Haitians attempting to enter the islands.

Following a recent attack in Kenscoff, a hillside community in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, several gang members were killed. Dominican authorities this week reported they had captured a gang member, David Filistin, in the tourist town of Puerto Plata.

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