Officers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and Bahamas Immigration apprehended 50 migrants early Monday morning in the Marshall Road area.

According to reports Defence Force operations were informed of an illegal landing and officials immediately descended on the area of the reported sighting.

The Haitian sloop that harbored 35 males and 15 females was discovered drifting in the area of the Sea Breeze canal.
Defence Force and Immigration personnel conducted a thorough search of the immediate area.

It was just three weeks ago that officials apprehended at least 30 illegal Haitian migrants on Abaco.

A month earlier, the RBDF apprehend another 102 Haitian migrants on a sloop off Hawksbill Rock, southwest of Great Exuma.

It was just earlier this year that government officials announced they would again tackle the highly emotive issue of illegal migration during a bilateral meeting in Port Au Prince, Haiti, in late March.

Each year the government allocates a substantial amount of money to repatriating hundreds of illegal immigrants – the majority of whom are Haitian nationals.

In 2013, some 3,033 Haitians were sent home and according to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell revealed that from January 2013 to February 18, 2013, immigration officers apprehended and repatriated 410 migrants. Of this figure, 357 were Haitians.

Just Monday The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands held bilateral talks meant at combating illegal migration, particularly from Haitian nationals.

Today, the President of Haiti Michel Martelly will begin an official visit to The Bahamas where he is expected to discuss the issue of illegal migration with Bahamian officials.