27 Haitians rescued from uninhabited Puerto Rico island

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it recently rescued 27 Haitian migrants from the rocky cliffs of an uninhabited island that lies between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The agency said Wednesday that the two-day rescue operation began on June 7 after it detected an illegal smuggling boat near Puerto Rico’s Monito Island. Officials said they arrested three illegal smugglers and rescued nine of 27 Haitians who jumped into the water upon seeing the Coast Guard. The agency said dangerous conditions prevented it from rescuing the remaining Haitians, adding that it left food, water and other supplies for them until it returned the next day.