A search is reportedly still on for illegal migrants after a Haitian sloop made landfall off Venice Bay, South New Providence after midnight Saturday. 

Several Law enforcement personnel including Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Force, as well as Immigration officers were only able to capture 26 of the migrants who were on board and are now being held by Immigration officials. 

According to reports, “shortly after midnight, a 35-ft a Haitian sloop made landfall off Venice Bay. Efforts by security forces resulted in the capture of 26 migrants, who were turned over to Immigration officials for further processing”.

Defence Force is also reporting that prior to Sunday morning, marines were deployed to key areas along the coastlines of New Providence to support vessels patrolling off shore. However, much of the Defence Force’s land base maritime and air operations have been hampered by adverse weather conditions.

Since May 2017, Defence Force officers have apprehended 13 migrant smuggling vessels and also apprehended or assisted with capturing over 1,000 migrants during the same period. 

The Defence Force is also actively patrolling the waters for over fishing by American sports fishermen as well as mixed migrant smuggling in Grand Bahama, Bimini and Abaco. In addition to reports of Dominican poaching in the Southern Bahamas. 

The last landfall made by Haitian migrants on New Providence was in February of this year. 

Defence Force personnel say they will hold a press conference today to speak to the latest incident and inform the public of solutions to challenges faced by the force.