THREE children, including a two-year-old, were among 16 Haitians intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard and brought to Grand Bahama on Sunday evening.

The group was reportedly making its way from Grand Bahama to the United States when they were stopped.

This is the second group of migrants brought in since Saturday, and immigration officials are urging persons not to risk their lives and the lives of their children in such dangerous and illegal voyages at sea.

According to Napthali Cooper, an immigration official in Freeport, the children aged ten, 11, and two years old, were all travelling with their mothers.

The group claimed to have left Grand Bahama on Saturday evening, headed to Florida when spotted by the Coast Guard on Sunday morning just as their vessel was entering US waters.

There were nine men, four women, and three children. The USCG Cutter Robert Yared arrived at Freeport Harbour around 8pm on Sunday and turned the migrants over to Bahamian authorities.

Mr. Cooper reported that all of the Haitian men entered the Bahamas illegally by boat from Haiti between 2015 and early this year.

Although it was claimed that all of the children had been born in The Bahamas and had been enrolled in schools in both New Providence and Grand Bahama, none of their mothers had any current legal status in The Bahamas, it was reported.

He said that one of the mothers travelling with her two sons – ages ten and 11 – claimed to have been born in The Bahamas, and at age 33 could not afford to wait to obtain her citizenship and decided to take the chance with her sons “in hopes of finding a better life.”

“In light of the recent tragedies a week ago in which persons lost their lives at sea attempting to be smuggled to the US, it appears as if persons are still hell bent on making the dangerous voyage, and in some instances parents are taking children who may not have life jackets and are both unable to swim,” Mr. Cooper said.

“People must place value on their life and those in their care above taking this sometimes dangerous route to a so-called better life via illegal means,” said Mr. Cooper.

By Denise Maycock, Tribune Freeport Reporter

Click here to read more at The Tribune