Coast Guard finds 10 stowaways on barge in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Coast Guard has apprehended 10 stowaways from the Dominican Republic who arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico, hidden in cargo holds aboard the barge “Sea Islander.”
Crew personnel on the barge had checked the cargo holds prior to entering U.S. waters and found signs that stowaways were on board. The barge master alerted a shipping agent, who notified the Coast Guard, which met and escorted the barge into San Juan harbor.
A port security boarding team discovered the stowaways, who had been aboard the barge for at least three days, the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The previous port of call for the “Sea Islander” had been Rio Haina, in the Dominican Republic. “Rio Haina has a history of being an embarkation point for stowaways, and the ‘Sea Islander’ has experienced stowaways on board in the past, as well,” the Coast Guard said.