MIAMI — Coast Guard crews repatriated 50 people to Cuba and transferred 18 people to the Bahamas, following three interdictions off the coasts of Florida and Bahamas, in the past week.
A Customs and Border Protection Maritime Patrol aircrew reported to the Coast Guard of a suspicious vessel about 11 miles west of Cay Sal, Bahamas, May 5. The Coast Guard Cutter William Trump crew interdicted the vessel and discovered 25 people aboard attempting to migrate unlawfully to the U.S.
A commercial boat salvage company reported to the Coast Guard, May 5, of a disabled 34-foot recreational vessel about 25 miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet. Sector Miami watchstanders diverted an Air Station Clearwater HC-130 aircrew, who located the vessel, and vectored in a Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce boat crew. Upon boarding the vessel, Coast Guard members discovered 19 people aboard attempting to migrate unlawfully to the U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton crew were notified, Thursday, of a migrant vessel about 40 miles north of Havana, Cuba. A Hamilton crew arrived on scene and embarked 25 people. attempting to migrate unlawfully to the U.S.
“The Coast Guard and our federal partners maintain a continual presence with air and sea assets in the Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea,” said Lt. Connor Ives, Coast Guard District 7 response enforcement officer. “People attempting to migrate illegally into the U.S., will be interdicted, repatriated, or sent back to the country of origin.”
Since Oct. 1, 2022, Coast Guard crews interdicted or encountered 6,662 Cubans and 4,470 Haitian migrants. Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.
For more information, follow these links:
Editor’s Note:
To download Cuban interdiction process video, click this link.
All Coast Guard Southeast imagery can be found on Dvids, here.
All Coast Guard migration imagery can be found on Dvids, here.
Family members in the United States inquiring about possible family members interdicted at sea, please contact your local federal U.S. representative.
Para personas que residen en los EE.UU. buscando información sobre un familiar posiblemente interceptado por la Guardia Costera, por favor comuníquese con la oficina de su congresista o representante del Senado, local.
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