Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers stationed at South Beach  Pools apprehend several Haitian nationals attempting to make it to shore in waters east of the area around 1 a.m. yesterday.  

Upon further investigation by RBDF, police, and immigration personnel, discovered a wooden sloop in shallow waters about a quarter-mile off shore. 

An expanded search of the coastal area was also carried out by officials, which led to the apprehension of 16 Haitian nationals. 

The total number of migrants aboard is unknown at this time; however, search is ongoing in the nearby area.

This  past Monday, 116 Haitian migrants  flooded a courtroom before Magistrate Cara Turnquest-Deveaux after their 40 foot sloop was intercepted by  RBDF patrol craft P-124 approximately 8 miles south of New Providence. 

Of that 124, 116 of them were adults and he remainder children. 

All  116 pleaded guilty to illegal landing, and 12 of them were found to be repeat offenders. 

The  12 repeat offenders were subsequently fined $600 or six months at the Bahamas Department of Corrections.