fp Turks and Caicos

A Haitian sloop was detected off West Caicos on Monday (Jan. 3), but authorities worked quickly to round up at least 126 illegal immigrants and have flown them back to Haiti.

The Ministry of Health performed medical examinations to check for anyone with cholera, but no cases were found, the ministry said today (Jan. 6).

Cholera has been rampant in some parts of Haiti, killing more than 3,000.

Assistant Police Commissioner Dave Ryder said police received reports from West Caicos that a sloop had beached on West Caicos.

“Very soon after that, the police aircraft took a reconnaissance flight over West Caicos and spotted quite a large group of individuals who were obviously in distress,” Ryder said.

Ryder reported several members of the marine branch along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Red Cross travelled to the island to assess the situation and cater to any humanitarian needs.

Marine Branch officers searched West Caicos and rounded up 116 immigrants, mostly adult males but including 16 children. Several immigrants were taken to the Cheshire Hall Medical Center on Providenciales for treatment of injuries sustained when the craft beached.

At least six immigrants managed to make their way from West Caicos to Providenciales and were picked up Tuesday in the Chalk Sound area.

Police also liased with the immigration services and disaster management to create a reception area at South Dock, where the individuals transported by police boat from West Caicos to Providenciales could be processed. They were then remanded to the nearby detention center.

Last month, the Pan American Health Organisation sent a three-member team and the U.K. Department for International Development with one representative have sent a team of experienced personnel to work with local officials to produce a comprehensive Cholera Contingency Plan for the TCI.

The public has also been advised to avoid travel to Haiti until the cholera outbreak is under control.