An intercepted boat laden with Haitian migrants is guided ashore by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Marine Unit. ROYAL TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POLICE FORCE
In a late-night operation, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) intercepted a vessel carrying 194 immigrants on July 5, 2025. Marine Unit officers aboard the patrol vessels Sea Pursuit and Sea Contender were alerted to the unidentified boat in the waters of Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) by the Marine Operations Centre shortly before 10 p.m. local time.
The 15-meter vessel, powered by two outboard engines, was transporting 156 males and 38 females. In response, more enforcement units, including tactical police and officers from the Border Force were called in to help.
The migrant vessel was docked, and all those on board were safely removed. The migrants were transported to the Detention Centre for processing. NewslineTCI, a news website, reported that the migrants were from Haiti. The interdiction prevented what could have been a risky landing and highlighted the problem of illegal migration in TCI waters.
The interdiction was one of the first RTCIPF missions for the patrol vessel Sea Contender, which joined the force’s Marine Branch in May. The 8-meter-long Sea Contender and another 8-meter vessel, the Sea Challenger, were provided on May 15 through a joint initiative of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the United Kingdom’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the governor’s office and the RTCIPF. The vessels will strengthen the RTCIPF’s emergency response and search and rescue capabilities.