migrants and 26 ship's crew were flown off Bermuda.

Armed Marines, in full combat gear, US Marshals, the Bermuda Police and Regiment cordoned off part of the Island's airport as the crew and passengers from the Xing Da reached land.

Each Chinese migrant was handcuffed and then led to the US Coast Guard C130s to be flown to a US base in Cuba.

All the 83 passengers, who range in age from 14 to mid-30s, will eventually be repatriated to China but crew members suspected of criminal offences will be prosecuted in America.

The Xing Da was towed into Bermuda on Tuesday by the US Coast Guard Cutter Reliance after being boarded about 140 miles off Bermuda eight days ago.

For the passengers it was the end of a four-month voyage from Zhong Shan, in China's Guangzhou Province.

Originally it was thought the boat had broken down before it was boarded, but yesterday it was revealed the ship was still underway and only lost power after Coast Guard officers were put on board.

The boarding was part of an undercover American sting operation which led to the arrests in New York of three Chinese people suspected of smuggling aliens into the US.

According to US sources the operation marked a rare success in penetrating a Chinese smuggling ring.

Agents were able to capture the American-based organisers and the main ship they used for smuggling.

It was the culmination of a two-year operation, and more arrests are expected to be made.

Yesterday amid tight security the crew was taken off the Xing Da on board the Government ferry Coralita and taken to a part of the airport jutting out into Castle Harbour.

They were taken to land by Police boats and immediately handcuffed by waiting US Marshals before being led into a waiting C130.

After they had been dealt with the Government ferry Deliverance arrived with the 83 passengers on board.

They were also taken to shore by Police boat and handcuffed before being led to another C130.

Each ferry was escorted to the airport by a small flotilla of Police boats and on shore scores of Police and US Marshals waited for the Chinese migrants.

Regiment soldiers sealed off part of the airport to prevent any escape by the crew and passengers.

Police Commissioner Colin Coxall and US Consul General Robert Farmer were both at the scene as the Chinese migrants arrived.

Last night Mr. Farmer said the operation was the successful conclusion of high level talks with US authorities and had gone off smoothly.

"This has been a co-ordinated US operation involving the Coast Guard, the Immigration Service, the Marine Corps and the US Marshals.

"But none of it would have been possible without the co-operation of the Bermudian authorities.

"It began as a humanitarian rescue effort, but as events unfolded, it has been necessary to call on the Police, the marine authorities and other elements of the Bermudian Government.'' Mr. Farmer said the migrants would be flown to Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, where they would go through checks by US immigration and justice departments, before leaving for another destination.

However he said all the passengers will eventually be taken back to China and members of the crew suspected of criminal activities taken to America where they could be prosecuted.

"One could safely assume that there is a link between the three people arrested in New York and some of those on the ship,'' said Mr. Farmer.

He said he had been able to visit the Xing Da on Tuesday and found it in "horrible shape''.

"There was no power, fuel leaks and it was taking on water. The problems have been compounded by the unco-operative passengers who lit fires, tossed faeces at the Coast Guard personnel and nearly rioted on a few occasions.'' The Xing Da is still anchored off Bermuda and US authorities are touch with the People's Republic of China to verify whether it is a Chinese flag ship.

Mr. Farmer said it was likely it would be towed within the next three days to Miami where it will be cleaned and sunk off the reefs of Florida.

He said it was too early to talk of the cost of the operation or whether the US Government would compensate Bermuda for its share of the cost.

Bermuda's Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness said yesterday that he would like to thank all the US personnel involved for their help.

"We were playing the part of providing humanitarian help, but the whole operation went extremely smoothly,'' said Mr. Edness.

"I would like to thank Mr. Farmer for his tireless efforts in bringing this saga to a conclusion.'' SEA TO AIR -- Xing Da passengers arrive at the airport where a Coast Guard jet waits or the next leg of their journey.