CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - AFTER being on the run for two days, lawmen have been able to capture the five illegal migrants who escaped after landing on Nevis on Sunday (Jan. 2).
Police sources confirmed that the five individuals were taken into custody late Monday evening (Jan. 3) at a location in Nevis where they were hiding out. So far, however, details on their capture have not been forthcoming.
Police disclosed that the five individuals were among 22 Haitian nationals aboard a boat that ran aground in Bath Village, Nevis. Of that number, sources said 11 were males, four were females and two were juveniles.
Sources also said that based on information relayed by the migrants, they were on their way to St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, but the boat ran aground on Nevis.
In recent years, there have been growing concerns by governments and CARICOM officials that many Haitians have been making the dangerous voyage across the waters to various islands where the pastures are greener.
It is believed that many of them had perished when the waters got rough. The vessels in which some of them who were making the trips had encountered difficulties and had twice gotten to the shores of St. Kitts and Nevis over the last three years.
In 2020, 12 Haitian migrants were caught disembarking a vessel in Keys Village. They were subsequently deported to their homeland after they were tested for COVID-19.
And back in 2019, a vessel with 15 of them - 13 men and two women - ran aground in Bird Rock after it was reportedly said that were travelling to the USVI. They were also deported.
