OOCL ship rescues refugees off Cape Cod
A containership operated by Hong Kong-based OOCL earlier this week rescued 14 male Senegalese refugees from a distressed yacht about 800 nautical miles east of Cape Cod in the North Atlantic.
The master of the 'OOCL Melbourne' Jan. 28 recognized a distress signal from the 40-foot to 50-foot motor yacht 'L'Onde Marine,' which was displaying the United Kingdom flag. The master contacted the U.S. Coast Guard who advised him to conduct a rescue.
The OOCL ship took custody of the men who were later confined in the ship's gym under guard after a basic search was conducted.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the men range in age from 23 to 43 and speak no English. Some possess valid passports, while others have expired passports or other forms of identification. Some of the men had no ID at all and none possessed a valid visa to enter the United States
CBP officers conducted an interview of the men, which revealed that they departed Senegal on Dec. 12 with the intentions of sailing to New York to look for employment. After about 10 to 11 days at sea the men encountered a problem with the yacht's sails and were unable to get the motor started.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement will detain the men until they can be safely returned to Senegal, the CBP said.
OOCL ship rescues refugees off Cape Cod
