The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez crew rescued 55 stranded Caribbean migrants on Thursday.
The vessel rescued forty-five men and nine women claiming Haitian nationality and one man who claimed to be Cuban.
All 55 migrants were transferred to Ramey Sector Border Patrol Agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
The rescue prompted another warning to would-be migrants not to risk their lives by undertaking an illegal voyage across the Mona Passage.
A release on the Coast Guard’s Facebook page said smugglers abandoned the latest group on the uninhabited natural reserve of Monito Island, Puerto Rico.
A maritime patrol on Monday spotted the migrants on the rocky cliffs.
As a result, a Customs and Border Protection helicopter aircrew delivered food and water on Tuesday afternoon.
But the Coast Guard explained that heavy sea swells and difficulty accessing the cliffs prevented rescue efforts until Thursday.
Since October 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, the Coast Guard has carried out 14 illegal voyage interdictions in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico.
During the period, the Coast Guard interdicted 419 non-U.S. citizens.
They included 327 Dominicans, 91 Haitians, and one individual of unknown nationality.
