After receiving reports from the US Coast Guard, the Marine Unit Base on Inagua activated its assets and intercepted an overloaded Haitian vessel 16 miles off Matthew Town on Monday.

A total of 84 persons (71 males and 12 females) were found on board.

The migrants, who had no proper documentation, were apprehended onboard a 30-ft sailing sloop and turned over to immigration authorities at Matthew Town. The vessel was in an unsanitary state, and had to be destroyed.

This is the first major interception of a Haitian vessel since the passing of Hurricane Ike.