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DeSantis details alarming find aboard Haitian migrant boat seized off Florida coast

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Friday that state law enforcement had intercepted a vessel coming to the Florida coast carrying dozens of Haitian migrants, as well as firearms, drugs and night vision gear.

"Our Florida Fish and Wildlife offices interdicted a vessel that had 25 illegal immigrants, potential illegal immigrants from Haiti in their boat. In their vessel they had firearms, they had drugs, they had night vision gear and were boating very recklessly, which would potentially endanger other folks," DeSantis said, adding that the interdiction had occurred "recently" in the last few weeks.

"That vessel was interdicted near the Sebastian Inlet and those illegal aliens were turned over to the Coast Guard for deportation," he said.

DESANTIS SENDS SOLDIERS, AIRCRAFT TO ‘PROTECT’ FLORIDA FROM ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BOATS AMID HAITI UNREST

DeSantis made the announcement at a press conference in which he also signed three pieces of legislation to deter illegal immigration into the Sunshine State.

The Republican governor had earlier this week announced an increase of personnel and aircraft to the Florida coast in light of unrest in Haiti and the potential for an increase in migration via the sea from the conflict-hit country.

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The Caribbean nation has seen a significant escalation in violence as gangs have overrun the capital, burning police stations and attacking the main airport. Gangs have also raided some of the largest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates. 

DHS WARNS HAITIAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING BY BOAT FACE ‘IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION’ 

The deployment in Florida includes 48 additional National Guardsmen with four additional helicopters, 39 officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, 30 additional Florida Highway Patrol officers with aircraft and drones, and 23 additional officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with eight additional seacraft, according to DeSantis' office.

He stressed on Friday that this had been going on for a while, and this was an increase in enforcement and not a new operation. He said that from Jan 2023 last week, officials had assisted the Coast Guard with the interdiction of 670 vessels carrying over 13,500 illegal immigrants.

"The message is the last thing you should want to do is get on a boat and think you're going to come through from any of these islands to get to the state of Florida," DeSantis said. "The most likely scenario is you'll be stopped, and you will be returned to your country of origin."

HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER ARIEL HENRY TO RESIGN AMID LOW-SCALE CIVIL WAR, BOWING TO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE 

"It's a hazardous journey, it’s not worth doing, and we have the resources to continue to keep the people of Florida safe."

On Tuesday, Rebecca Zimmerman, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, told lawmakers that the Pentagon is "alert" to the possibility of a mass migration event, but it has also not yet seen large numbers.

"I think you’re right that the driving conditions in Haiti could very well press more people," she told Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. "We recently approved some additional assistance we could provide to the Coast Guard."

The Department of Homeland Security has also said it is monitoring the situation, but has stressed that migration flows in the Caribbean remain "low." It also warned that those crossing face being turned back to their country of origin.

"U.S. policy is to return noncitizens who do not have a fear of persecution or torture or a legal basis to enter the United States. Those interdicted at sea are subject to immediate repatriation pursuant to our longstanding policy and procedures. The United States returns or repatriates migrants interdicted at sea to The Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti," a spokesperson said.

On Friday, DeSantis also signed three pieces of legislation related to immigration. One increased the maximum sentence for people driving without a license. Another enhances penalties for crimes committed by illegal immigrants who return to the country after deportation, while the third bill states that no jurisdiction can recognize IDs that are distributed by other states to illegal immigrants. 

Original article source: DeSantis details alarming find aboard Haitian migrant boat seized off Florida coast

Take a sneak peek at the biggest and most expensive boats at 2024's Palm Beach yacht show

• The Palm Beach International Boat Show kicks off later this week.
• Eight megayachts are expected to be on display for would-be buyers and charter customers.
• These are the show's biggest yachts — and how many millions of dollars they are going for.

The Palm Beach International Boat Show — the yacht world's flashiest event stateside — is returning this year with over 800 boats for both deep-pocked potential owners and window shoppers to peruse.

While it's impossible to know what exactly will be on display until the show begins on Thursday, it's expected that eight megayachts — generally defined as ships over 60 meters long — will be docked at the show and at nearby marinas like the Rybovich Marina in the ritzy Florida town.

Some of these are for sale at eye-popping prices, but others are available to if in case you fancy living like a billionaire for a week or two this summer (and if you have six figures to spare on a vacation).

These are the eight biggest yachts that will be at the Palm Beach International Boat Show and nearby marinas, in size order.

Nero: 90.1 meters

Price: From $497,000 a week (charter) Standout features: Pizza ovens, beauty salon, massage room, resistance pool

Reportedly owned by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien, Nero is modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship , and was built in 2007 and updated in 2021.

She now boasts a gym on her sundeck with multiple cardio machines and a beauty salon, and has an on-board beautician for manicure, pedicure, hair, and massage needs. There's also an upgraded movie theater, two new pizza ovens, and both a pool and a jacuzzi.

For those who want to go overboard, she has more than a dozen toys, including a waterslide, Jet Ski, and flyboard.

Victorious: 85 meters

Price: From $876,600 a week in the summer and $950,000 a week in the winter Standout features: Hammam (Turkish bath), wine cellar, wood-burning fireplace, children's playroom

Victorious brings a party vibe to the yacht show. With a beach club on board, a wine cellar, a cigar clubroom , multiple bars, and a lounge with a piano, the vessel is made for entertaining. Plus, there's a playroom and movie theater to entertain the kids.

For tamer charter clients, Victorious has a suite of wellness features such as a gym, massage room, beauty salon and hammam, or Turkish bath — perhaps a custom request of her owner, Turkish businessman Vural Ak.

She also boasts a treasure trove of water toys, including Jet Skis, jetsurfs, inflatable kayaks, and scuba equipment.

Casino Royale: 72 meters

Price: TBD Special Features: Infinity pool, helipad, private jacuzzi

Purchased and refitted by car dealer magnate John Staluppi last year, Casino Royale is the latest of his James Bond-inspired yachts (he's also owned an Octopussy and a Skyfall, among others).

Casino Royale has a helipad that turns into a dancefloor, an infinity pool, and a wellness center with a gym and sauna. The owner's cabin has its own deck, which features a private bar and jacuzzi.

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However, the boat's price isn't listed, and while she's not necessarily officially for sale, that might change depending on who's prepared to buy, Mr. Bond.

Talisman C: 70.6 meters

Price: $60 million (or from $567,000 a week to charter) Special features: Massage and beauty room, private library

Likely the largest yacht for sale (not just charter) at the show, the Talisman C is a 2011 six-bedroom boat. The owner's cabin comes with an en suite bathroom, dressing room, private library, and crystal chandeliers.

Amenities include a gym, a beauty room, oversized jacuzzi, and a fully equipped bar. Her crew of 19 includes a trained masseuse, and the toy room comes equipped with a wakeboard, eFoil , and WaveRunners.

Joy: 70 meters

Price: From $650,000 a week Special features: Disco club, basketball court, onboard fitness instructor

Superyacht Joy testifies to the fact that owners want as many on-board experiences as they can get.

There's an expansive suite of fitness features, including a basketball court (don't shoot that hoop too hard!), a personal trainer on staff, boxing equipment, and a handful of machines. For post-workout winddowns, there's a spa with a steam room and onboard masseuse. And for entertainment, there's both an outdoor and indoor cinema, and a disco club.

Triumph: 65.4 meters

Price: From $707,600 a week in the summer and $650,000 a week in the winter Special features: Sauna, helipad, banana boat

This 2021 superyacht is named after Triumph motorcycles — a reported favorite of her rumored owner, British businessman Chris Dawson — and even has one on display as an art piece in the upper deck's lounge. The primary suite is 1,400 square feet and has its own study , and there's a sauna, an indoor-outdoor gym, a helipad, and a massage room spread among her six decks.

She boasts an "armada of water toys," including two kinds of Jet Skis, electric water bikes, and a banana boat.

Seanna: 64.5 meters

Price: $54,000,000 (or from $462,000 a week to charter) Special features: marble foyer, movie room, sundeck pool

The recently refurbished Seanna is available for sale and charter.

Her indoor-outdoor gym is on sea level so that passengers can take a dip after a session with the onboard personal trainer. There's also a sundeck pool, a helipad, a two-room massage facility, and, for the more cerebral guests, a library with an electric fireplace.

There are a number of toys on board, including a popular water trampoline and two WaveRunners.

Come Together: 60 meters

Price: $65,000,000 Special Features: DJ and videographer on board, ice bath, sauna

Next-to-new yacht Come Together is looking for a new owner after doing charters during the 2023 season.

The Beatles' influence is evident beyond the yacht's name, with guitars dotting the sky lounge and a crewmember who doubles as a DJ. There's also an outdoor cinema and bar for entertainment and an ice bath and sauna for the day after the party. The owner's suite has a private study and lounge, and each guest cabin has its own ensuite.

The sale includes a number of toys, like Jet Skis, kayaks, and Seabobs.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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Dutch providing Ukraine with F-16 ammunition, drones, minister says

The Netherlands is providing Ukraine with 350 million euros for F-16 fighter jet ammunition and advanced reconnaissance drones, Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren announced in Kyiv on Wednesday.

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Charity hopes to send second food aid ship to Gaza in next few days

Pallets with 50% more supplies than first boat, Open Arms, being loaded in Cyprus

• Middle East crisis – latest updates

The charity sending food aid to Gaza on a ship travelling across the Mediterranean from Cyprus is loading a second boat with supplies, which it hopes will set off in the coming days.

Pallets containing 300 tonnes of food aid – 50% more than the first shipment – are expected to be screened and loaded by the end of Thursday, but there is no indication yet when it will leave the port of Larnaca.

The supplies include cans of beans, carrots, tuna, chickpeas and corn, plus parboiled rice, flour, oil and salt.

The UN has warned that at least 576,000 people in Gaza – a quarter of the population – are on the brink of famine and global pressure has been growing on Israel to allow more access to the territory.

Janez Lenarčič, the EU’s humanitarian aid and crisis management chief, said on Thursday there were already pockets of famine in Gaza , and warned it could spread to the whole region. He urged Israel to open more road routes to deliver aid.

The first ship, which is towing a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of aid, enough for half a million meals, is expected to arrive on the Gaza coast in the coming days after leaving Larnarca on Tuesday .

World Central Kitchen (WCK), a US-based food aid charity working with the governments of Cyprus and the UAE and the Spanish NGO Open Arms, had an additional 500 tonnes of aid in Cyprus ready to be loaded in what it hoped would be a series of journeys across the Mediterranean, which have been given the name Operation Safeena, meaning boat or vessel in Arabic.

Theodoros Gotsis, spokesperson for Cyprus’s foreign ministry, said the Spanish-flagged aid ship was making “good progress” and was on course for the Gaza coast. It was taking longer than expected to arrive because the boat was by necessity moving very slowly. Tracking apps had “been jammed” because the ship was sailing in seas off a war zone where communication was patchy, he said.

It was still uncertain on Thursday how the aid would be unloaded and distributed once it reached the Gaza coastline. WCK volunteers and others in Gaza are building a jetty from the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli bombing during the past five months.

Gaza was the “most politically complex environment WCK has operated in”, its founder, the Michelin-starred chef José Andrés, said on the charity’s website at the weekend. A spokesperson said on Thursday that plans for docking and distribution were being continually adapted.

Gaza health ministry officials, meanwhile, said six people had been killed and dozens wounded when the Israeli military opened fire as crowds waited for aid trucks in Gaza City on Wednesday evening. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.

It is the latest in a series of chaotic scenes and deadly incidents at aid distributions as desperately hungry people scramble for food. More than 100 people were killed last month as they waited for an aid delivery near Gaza City. Palestinian health authorities said Israeli forces shot them, while Israel said the victims had been trampled or run over.

Aid agencies in recent days have sought to vary routes for convoys to avoid large numbers of people gathering and potentially stopping convoys. “The problem is there are very few routes to take, and all are very difficult to travel on. There have been tanks driving up and down them for months and they are basically just strips of rubble now. So people can predict where the trucks are going to be,” said an NGO official in Gaza, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The White House called for a swift investigation into an Israeli airstrike this week on a UN food distribution facility in Gaza.

Israel said the strike had killed a Hamas commander whom it targeted, and Palestinian health officials said it had killed four more people, including a UN worker.

On Wednesday, R Adm Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, said Israel would try to “flood” the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid from multiple entry points.

More convoys would follow six aid trucks with supplies from the World Food Programme that entered the northern part of the Gaza Strip this week through a crossing in the security fence known as the 96th gate. There would also be deliveries from other entry points, complemented by airdrops and seaborne aid cargoes, Hagari said.

Hamas was reported by local media to have killed the head of a powerful family in the territory for stealing aid and having contact with Israel. There was no immediate confirmation of the claim, but earlier this week Hamas threatened to execute “collaborators”. Tensions in Israel and the occupied territories remain high ahead of the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. Hamas has called for a “day of escalation”, and thousands of police have been deployed around Jerusalem’s Old City.

On Thursday, Netanyahu met families of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and said he had little positive news. The Israeli prime minister said there had been no “real response” to terms offered for a ceasefire earlier this month.

“They are still clinging to unacceptable demands ... They do not want to make progress. They want to ignite the ground during Ramadan. This is their attempt; this is their goal,” he said.

• Palestinian territories
• Israel-Gaza war

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World Bank report finds imminent risk of catastrophic famine in Gaza Strip

‘Man-made famine’ charge against Israel is backed by mounting body of evidence

Netanyahu ‘determined’ to carry out Rafah assault despite pleas from Biden

Canada to halt arms sales to Israel after non-binding vote in house of commons

UN says Israeli restrictions on Gaza food aid may constitute a war crime

The Guardian view on famine in Gaza: a human-made catastrophe

Documents reveal alleged pattern of Israeli harassment of Unrwa workers on West Bank

Israeli delegation to visit Washington to discuss planned offensive on Rafah

Jared Kushner says Gaza’s ‘waterfront property could be very valuable’

Fierce clashes between IDF and Hamas after Israel takes control of key hospital

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Haitian migrant boat with guns, drugs intercepted in Florida: What we know

Over two dozen people this past month were discovered by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers being smuggled into Florida, according to FWC reports. Included in the group were unaccompanied children and armed smugglers attempting to make their way into Sebastian Inlet on Feb. 29, FWC said in a statement released Friday. Law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate the case in which guns and drugs were also seized from a 42-foot vessel in in Brevard County near the Indian River County line. Gov. Ron DeSantis used it as a prime example for tougher laws.

What did FWC officers discover on migrant boat?

FWC reports said the boat's operator was armed. There were 25 people, including five unaccompanied children, on board the boat entering the country. Officers also found firearms, night vision gear and drugs, the report said. The exact details of the interdiction were not released.

Who is investigating the smuggling operation?

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are carrying out an investigation into the boat. It was not reported if charges had been filed in the case as of Monday morning.

What did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis say about armed migrant boat?

DeSantis pointed to the incident as an example for the need to deter illegal immigration in a press conference this past weekend. Two separate laws signed by the governor would crack down on penalties for undocumented immigrants driving without a license and those who are re-entering the country after previously being deported.

“In their boat, in their vessel, they had firearms, they had drugs, they had night vision gear and were boating very recklessly, which would potentially endanger other folks,” DeSantis  told reporters on Friday.

DeSantis said int he press conference that the migrants were deported by the U.S. Coast Guard.

This incident comes two months after DeSantis announced that he is sending approximately 1,000 Florida National Guard troops to Texas to assist in security along the Mexican border.

Last week, DeSantis also announced that he was shoring up immigration security in the Florida Keys, where he deployed "250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and sea craft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state."

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Dozens of Migrants Die After Their Dinghy Deflates in the Mediterranean

Survivors, who departed from Libya, said they had been adrift for four days when they were found.

By Gaia Pianigiani

A European humanitarian aid group said on Thursday that about 50 migrants died after their small boat deflated during an attempt to cross the central Mediterranean Sea.

A ship belonging to the charity, SOS Mediterranee , spotted the deflating rubber dinghy on Wednesday, in international waters under the Libyan rescue jurisdiction. Twenty-five dehydrated and exhausted migrants were on board.

The survivors told the charity that they had been adrift for four days, since the engine on their dinghy broke. Some 50 other people were with them when they departed from the Libyan port of Zawiya, they told the rescuers, including two infants and four women. There were only male survivors, half of them boys, the charity said.

Valeria Taurino, the director general of SOS Mediterranee, said the situation on board was “disastrous.”

Two of the passengers were unconscious when they were found, and they were evacuated by the Italian military for treatment on shore. The rest, hailing from Gambia, Mali and Senegal, showed signs of dehydration, exhaustion and burns from fuel on the boat, and were receiving medical treatment aboard the charity’s ship, the Ocean Viking, Ms. Taurino said.

The Ocean Viking was heading to disembark the passengers at Ancona, on the northeastern Italian coast, over 870 miles from where the survivors were found. The government says it is spreading the burden of identifying and later housing migrants. But charity groups argue that the practice is aimed at keeping ships occupied and off the ocean where they look for migrant boats, and makes rescues more expensive in terms of fuel consumption.

Migration advocates say there is a glaring scarcity of rescuers in the central Mediterranean. The U.N. International Organization for Migration said that 227 migrants had died on the Mediterranean route this year, without taking into account the most recent shipwreck. While arrivals have decreased by 70 percent compared with 2023, the death rate is not falling as rapidly.

“Deaths are down by 20 percent only,” said Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Italy. “It is a clear sign that the rescue system at sea is insufficient, and people keep dying as a result.”

An earlier version of this article misstated the distance between Ancona and where the survivors were found. It is 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), not 1,400 miles.

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Gaia Pianigiani is a reporter based in Italy, covering breaking news across Italy and Europe. More about Gaia Pianigiani

Aid ship offloading cargo into Gaza; Israel to continue negotiating over cease-fire

Israel’s government warned that Hamas “is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands” as it prepared to review the latest cease-fire proposal Friday. A ship carrying 200 tons of food — the first attempt to deliver aid by way of a maritime corridor — began offloading its cargo into Gaza on Friday. The boat left Cyprus earlier this week, dispatched by the U.S. nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés , and the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms.

• At least 20 killed, 150 injured in attack on crowd awaiting aid in Gaza
• Muslims gather at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem for tense Ramadan prayers
• Israel says Hamas has ‘unrealistic demands’ as cease-fire proposal is put forward

Here's what to know:

Here's what to know, live coverage contributors 18.

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• Is Gaza heading into famine? How experts define that grim term. March 18, 2024 Is Gaza heading into famine? How experts define that grim term. March 18, 2024
• White House says Israel lacks ‘coherent and sustainable strategy’ in Gaza March 18, 2024 White House says Israel lacks ‘coherent and sustainable strategy’ in Gaza March 18, 2024
• Israeli forces raid Gaza City hospital; U.S. confirms death of top Hamas leader March 18, 2024 Israeli forces raid Gaza City hospital; U.S. confirms death of top Hamas leader March 18, 2024

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Israel-Gaza war

Israel-Gaza war: Israel’s military said it was carrying out a “precise operation” at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital , citing Israeli intelligence that the complex was being used by senior Hamas militants. The Gaza Health Ministry said communications were cut and reported people killed or injured. Meanwhile, at least half the population in Gaza is facing what the United Nations has repeatedly described as “ famine-like conditions .”

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon .

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants , according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members .