Basterre, St. Kitts- On Wednesday afternoon the Dash 8 detected a sailboat with a group of persons on board of a vessel waving frantically.

The Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) immediately dispatched the Coast Guard cutter Poema to the sailboat to assist. MRCC Fort de France (FDF) in Martinique was also informed.

On board of the vessel there were 35 persons, including two pregnant women and undisclosed number of minors. The group was a group of illegal immigrants on their way to an unknown destination.

The vessel went adrift due to engine problems which the captain could not fix. The Coast Guard cutter Poema assisted the vessel by towing it to the nearest island, St. Kitts.

All the immigrants including the captain were handed over to the St. Kitts authorities for further investigation in this case.