A pair of illegal immigrants tried to dodge the law by jumping into the ocean after stowing away on a barge off the coast of Puerto Rico — only to get fished out of the water by the US Coast Guard.
The botched escape attempt unfolded when the tugboat “Southern Dawn” was towing a barge into the harbor off San Juan around 10 a.m. Sunday, the Coast Guard said in a press release Monday.
The two immigrants suddenly jumped out of the boat and plunged into the water, officials said.
When the tugboat crew tipped off the maritime enforcement agency, a boat was launched and corralled the fugitives, plucking them out of the water and slapping on the cuffs.
“I cannot stress enough how dangerous it is for stowaways to board or jump from a moving barge,” said Matt Romano, head of the response team at the Coast Guard Sector in San Juan said in a statement.
“The coordination and swift response of the Coast Guard and our partner agencies not only prevented a tragic incident but also demonstrated our commitment to securing our borders,” Romano said.
Federal immigration and homeland security agents searched the barge for additional stowaways after it docked but did not come across any others, the release said.
The two immigrants, who were not identified, are due to be deported back home.
The Coast Guard did not reveal what country the two are from.
