ORANJESTAD – The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard intercepted a suspicious vessel near Aruba during the night from Saturday to Sunday, discovering 24 undocumented Venezuelan men on board.
According to the Coast Guard, the vessel was initially detected as a suspicious contact through its radar surveillance system. The Coast Guard immediately deployed the cutter Panter to investigate.
When the Panter reached the vessel, Coast Guard personnel found 24 men on board who did not have the required immigration documents. All of the individuals were identified as Venezuelan nationals.
The vessel and its occupants were subsequently escorted to the Coast Guard pier in Savaneta.
Upon arrival, the 24 Venezuelan men were handed over to the Aruba Police Force (KPA) for further processing.
Aruban police have taken over the case and are conducting further investigations into the circumstances surrounding the voyage.