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Coast Guard warns against sea voyages

Published:Friday | December 13, 2013 | 12:00 AM
The Coast Guard cutter Gallatin ties up at a pier in North Charleston, SC, on Wednesday, following the vessel's final patrol. - ap photos

FLORIDA, United States (AP):

The US Coast Guard is urging Haitians not to attempt risky sea voyages to escape their Caribbean homeland.

Dozens of Haitian migrants have died in recent attempted crossings.

Since October 1, the Coast Guard has picked up 420 Haitians at sea. Officials say that, in the past year, there has also been a significant increase in the number of Haitians crossing the 80 miles of water that separate the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

The Coast Guard has worked with South Florida's Haitian community to produce a public-service announcement in English and Haitian Creole.

The ad will be released in South Florida and in the future will be distributed through the State Department in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other Caribbean islands. Officials will unveil the 30-second spots today.