By KRYSTEL ROLLE

Guardian Staff Reporter

krystel@nasguard.com

About 114 of the nearly 300 Haitians captured early Monday morning after a botched human smuggling attempt in Bahamian waters are expected to be repatriated sometime today, immigration officials revealed.

Today's expected repatriation comes after 305 Haitians were sent back to their poverty-stricken country yesterday, easing the crowd at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

Immigration statistics show that 579 immigrants remain in the holding facility, including 484 men, 87 women and six children — most of whom are from Haiti.

Assistant Director of Immigration William Pratt told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that they had hoped to engage two flights for today's repatriation exercise, but Bahamasair could only commit to one flight.

"So we're only sending about 114. As soon as Bahamasair can commit to chartering flights we will send the rest. It could be before the weekend or early next week," he said.

Two hundred and ninety-seven illegal Haitian immigrants were captured early Monday morning on the southern end of New Providence. Pratt said that capture was the largest illegal immigrant apprehension for the year.

It was still unclear last night if anyone aboard the boat had drowned. It could not be confirmed if a body found floating in the area where the boat was spotted had anything to do with the vessel.

Eyewitnesses and officials reported hearing passengers calling for help on Monday.

It usually takes about 24 hours before a submerged body begins to float.

The Royal Bahamas Defen-ce Force Harbour Unit officers are on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.

"We have been conducting patrols in that area but that is an area of patrol. They are doing their regular patrols but if they come across any bodies then of course they will report it," said a Defence Force Chief Petty Officer.

Police got word of the smuggling attempt when a call came into the police control room shortly after 6 a.m. on Monday, indicating there was a sloop laden with Haitians in the Marshall Road area.

Police officers, Defence Force marines and immigration officers responded and rushed to the scene, bringing in some 233 men and 64 women, according to ASP Robert Sherman-Young.

The Defence Force dispatched a team of marines which intercepted the sloop and brought the vessel to shore where the group was off-loaded.

Some of the immigrants were able to escape when the boat landed; however, Pratt said all of the immigrants were captured after 13 additional immigrants were found in nearby bushes.

"We combed the area and we believe we have all the immigrants who escaped in our custody," he said.

At the scene on Monday, several of the immigrants were begging for water and food, using hand signals, while others lay on the ground, seemingly too exhausted to move.

Even after the immigrants were loaded onto the buses, six men and four women lay on the ground suffering from apparent dehydration.

Officers had to physically pour water into their mouths, as they were too weak to do it themselves. Four of the men were later taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment. Another four were reportedly taken to the hospital to be treated for head trauma.

Only three remained in the hospital up to yesterday.

Immigration officials were still not able to ascertain who captained the boat as the detainees refused to say who steered them to shore.