Two Ukrainian men on board a boat which set sail from Bermuda earlier this month have been charged with trying to smuggle eight people from eastern Europe into Canada.

According to the Canadian Press, the 11-metre sailing ketch Valletta was intercepted by a coast guard vessel off Shelburne, in Nova Scotia, on Saturday.

The news agency reported on Wednesday that Police had charged Vasyl Aksenin, 26, and Mykola Tyshkivskyy, 46 — who were among the five men and five women on board the boat — with organising the illegal entry of persons into Canada.

A duty officer at Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre told The Royal Gazette that the boat arrived here at 10 a.m. on June 6 and left St. George's at 6 p.m. on June 11.

The UK-registered vessel was travelling from Antigua on its way to Nova Scotia. The officer said he was not in a position to comment on the Canadian Press report.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said a short statement on the Valletta would be released today.

The Canadian Press report quoted Staff Sgt. Alan Harding, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as saying the two Ukrainians had appeared in court and were being detained until their next appearance.

He told a news conference that a conviction under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act could carry a maximum fine of $500,000 and/or ten years in prison.

"In this case it is believed the individuals on the vessel paid a significant amount of money to come to Canada," Staff Sgt. Harding said. "Our investigation is currently ongoing to determine whether other individuals are involved."

He would not reveal whether Canadian officials were tipped off about the arrival of Valletta.

The boat was escorted into Shelburne harbour, about 200 kilometres southwest of Halifax, by the coast guard vessel Earl Grey.

The other eight people on board were detained by officers with the Canada Border Services Agency, to determine their identities and nationalities.

Andrew LeFrank, director of the Nova Scotia district for agency, told the Canadian Press they had been "processed" and were in good health.

"If a person is deemed admissible, then they will be allowed into the country. If they are deemed inadmissible, then they will be held, at which time we will take steps to remove them from the country," he said.

• Did you see the Valletta when she was in Bermuda between June 6 and 11? Email news@royalgazette.bm.