Nine people were caught by Boynton Beach police Monday night after a boat came ashore in Gulfstream Park, said Stephanie Slater, police department spokeswoman.
A Briny Breezes resident called Boynton Beach police around 8:45 p.m., after seeing a boat close to shore that’s lights were being turned on and off.
Police called the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit to help look for the boat.
Slater said at 10 p.m. a Boynton Beach sergeant spotted the boat come ashore in Gulfstream Park and the occupants took off running.
Officers took seven Haitian immigrants and a man believed to be the boat’s captain into custody.
The alleged captain was turn over to U.S. Customs.
Police believed there to be one more immigrant who was on the boat, and with assistance from PBSO’s Eagle helicopter, searched for him for the next hour.
At 11:21 p.m., a Boynton Beach police officer saw the final man running on the beach and took him into custody.
The eight people were taken to the Boynton Beach Police Department, where officers provided them with blankets, sheets, water, soda and hamburgers.
Border Patrol agents took custody of the eight immigrants.
Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.