A sloop holding hundreds of Haitian migrants, including babies, ran aground in shallow waters off of south eastern New Providence yesterday morning.
Officer in Charge of the Eastern Division, Superintendent Ismella Davis, told The Nassau Guardian that police received reports about the sloop from area residents at about 10:00am. She said the response from Police, the Defence Force and the Immigration Department was immediate.
The sloop landed behind the Gulfstream apartments off Hanna Road. Residents in the area notified the authorities and reportedly provided food, water and, in some cases, clothing for the weary migrants.
Some question how a sloop of this size could have eluded detection, both in Inagua, as it started its journey, and also as it approached New Providence. Clearly, someone in the Defence Force is asleep at the wheel, or certain members of the Force are involved in human smuggling, an accusation that has been repeated more than once.
Among the migrants was a mother with a one month-old baby. Authorities provided immediate medical attention. Both mother and baby were taken to hospital.
Numerous Haitians were apprehended in the mangroves near the shore.
In a related story, the PUNCH reports that two boatloads of Haitians landed in a canal in the Seabreeze area. The tabloid says there were an estimated 500 migrants, only 59 of whom were apprehended.
