American ferry company Baleària Caribbean, which evacuated hundreds of survivors of hurricane Dorian, announced that only citizens with visas the United States can leave Grand Bahama. In result, 119 people, including children, were forced to turn back from a ferry on a devastated island.
According to official data, the number of deaths from a category 5 hurricane is 45 people, but this is not the final figure: approximately 7 thousand people are still missing.
Due to the fact that hurricane practically demolished everything in its path, one of the few ways to leave the devastated island to catch the ferry. Thousands of people lined up for hours to get on the ship. But after the passengers boarded the ferry Baleària Caribbean in Freeport, it was announced that all persons who do not have U.S. visas, should go ashore.
«Please, all passengers who do not have a U.S. visa, please proceed to the landing», — said the employee of the ferry in the video, filmed by Brian Entin, a reporter for Miami’s WSVN.
Another announcement just made ordering any Bahamian without a US visa to disembark ferry — not allowed to evacuate. They were told before boarding it was ok with Bahamian passport and polce clean record. Something has now changed. pic.twitter.com/m7CnZxoiMM
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 9, 2019
In accordance with customs and border protection (CBP) Bahamian citizens usually do not need a US visa if they have not had problems with the law and they plan to go to the USA for a short time.
News SMI2
But witnesses reported other information.
«They just got a call from CBP, and CBP told them that everyone who doesn’t have a us visa and who have police records, have to go,» said WSVN passenger Renard Oliver.
In an interview with WSVN Florida CBP employees accused Baleària Caribbean that they did not have sufficient coordination with the US government. President trump also commented on the situation:
«I don’t want people who are not supposed to be in the Bahamas, came to the United States, including some very bad people.»
