WILLEMSTAD - The Coast Guard intercepted 33 illegal immigrants at sea last night. A suspicious vessel was spotted on the water last night. The Coast Guard Rescue and Coordination Center immediately dispatched a Coast Guard unit to check on the vessel.

Upon arrival at the boat, it turned out that 33 illegal immigrants were on the boat, eleven of which were women and 22 men. The illegal immigrants and the boat were brought to the coastguard jetty by the multidisciplinary team and checked by members of the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) and the Curaçao Police Force (KPC).

The Coast Guard found a turtle, a monkey and five parakeets on board. The 33 undocumented migrants have been handed over to the KPC. The animals have been handed over to the Curaçao Veterinary Service.