THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MIGRANTS

Intensive investigations are being conducted by Cayman's Customs and Security authorities into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of Cuban asylum-seekers who were returned to the jurisdiction on Monday after being found at sea.

The 10 migrants who turned up in Cayman by sea recently as illegal refugees had disappeared while their asylum request was being processed.

They had already been released from quarantine but were required to wear special security tracking devices so that authorities here could be kept abreast of their whereabouts.

According to reports, the signal was lost from the devices and was eventually tracked to a point about 50 miles out to sea on Sunday.

In a statement on Tuesday, the CBC confirmed that the signal was traced to a vessel with the missing migrants onboard.

The agency said it had “received notification from the Cayman Islands Coast Guard that a vessel in distress with multiple persons onboard was assisted by a passing vessel approximately 50 nautical miles west of Grand Cayman.”

It went on to state that: “CBC can also confirm that the persons onboard are the migrants that were unable to be located on Sunday, 4th April.”

CBC said the vessel was adrift for the past few days and the persons onboard appear to be weak but had not sustained any injuries.

According to the agency, the migrants were returned to Grand Cayman by the passing vessel where they will have to undergo another period of quarantine.

“The migrants will have to adhere to COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocols as required by legislation for all incoming persons,” it said.

There has been a flood of speculation surrounding the movement of the migrants, said to be the Cubans who had requested asylum.

The CBC said, “This remains an active investigation and anyone with information is urged to contact the confidential information hotline at 1-800-534-2546 or email legalim@gov.ky.”