Police arrest 21 Haitians after canoe lands in Portland

Jamaican police have arrested 21 of 40 Haitians who arrived Monday in an 18-foot multi-coloured canoe near Kensington, Portland, as authorities continue the search for the 19 remaining individuals who fled into the nearby community.

The group arrived at around 1:00 p.m., prompting nearby residents to alert police. Responding quickly, officers apprehended 18 men and three women, but the rest remain at large.

The incident is the latest in a growing number of Haitians arriving illegally in Jamaica by boat, amid a deepening political and security crisis in Haiti that has forced thousands to flee the French-speaking Caribbean nation.

Police are urging residents not to harbour undocumented arrivals and to immediately notify authorities if they encounter any of the fugitives.