The group of Jewish refugees who had fled to Willemstad by boat, arrived on two ships.

• The Dutch ship Hr. Ms. Crijnssen brought 17 Jewish refugees in July 1940;
• The Spanish ship S. S. Cabo de Hornos put 86 Jewish refugees ashore in November 1941. Both ships encountered opposition from Willemstad and only after intense diplomatic negotiations were the refugees allowed onshore. The Hr. Ms. Crijnssen - group was transferred to the Playa Pariba camp on 6 July 1940. In March 1941 they were transferred to Camp Guatemala. This camp was subject to a less strict regime. In August 1941 they were given limited freedom, a year later they were free to re-emigrate.

Separate internment camps were instituted in Curaçao for the large group of Cabo de Hornos refugees. The Suffisant location had previously served as temporary housing for newly arrived Shell immigrants. It was now used for housing the male Cabo de Hornos refugees. For the women and children, the former quarantine building Plantersrust at Mundo Nobo was chosen. The original number of 86 Cabo de Hornos refugees quickly became smaller. A number of countries, including the United States, Cuba, and Colombia, had agreed to grant asylum to these Jewish refugees. In December 1941, the number of Cabo de Hornos refugees had fallen to 76; two years later there were only 11 refugees left at Plantersrust. The latter group remained there almost till the end of the war, but before the end of 1945 another 6 refugees had left.