U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents helped intercept a boat carrying 40 migrants from the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Uzbekistan near Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico, authorities said.
The operation unfolded shortly before 12:30 a.m. local time on June 6, when the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center detected what officials described as a target of interest west of the island.
According to CBP, that information was quickly passed to a National Air Security Operations Center DHC-8 aircrew, which located and tracked a rustic vessel measuring roughly 25 to 30 feet in length. Officials said the boat was carrying 40 migrants.
At first, authorities believed the vessel was disabled and unable to continue moving under its own power.
