The United States Coastal Guard (USCG) reported the repatriation of 64 Cuban rafters who were intercepted on their way to Florida in recent days.
According to an official statement, the crew of the Coast Guard Bernard C. Webber was in charge of returning the Cubans back to the Island on the morning of this Friday, March 24.
#Breaking @USCG Cutter Bernard C. Webber’s crew repatriated 64 people to Cuba, Friday.
“Coast Guard and partner agency crews are not letting people illegally land in the U.S.” – Capt. Kinsey, USCG D7
Read here: https://t.co/RBz92QWL7p@USEmbCuba pic.twitter.com/dD83ReZ5VF
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) March 24, 2023
According to the information, the 64 rafters were arrested during three different operations that took place between Sunday March 12 and Monday March 20.
The first group was detained about 46 miles south of Marathon Key after a USCG crew sighted their boat early in the morning.
The next operation took place on Sunday, March 19, about 5 miles south of Islamorada, where a USCG crew from the Key West sector was notified of the presence of migrants.
Lastly, a Good Samaritan alerted the USCG to several people in the water around 8:30 am, about 4 miles south of Key West. The authorities arrived at the scene and rescued 28 of the passengers, however, one of them ended up lost at sea.
After several days of searching, the USCG terminated the rescue operations.giving up the last rafter for lost.
While the authorities did not officially confirm the nationality of the rafters rescued on that occasion, family members reported from the Island that the group left Havana in recent days.
Finally, the USCG urged Cuban citizens not to jump into the sea to reach the United States, since it was a trip that represented multiple dangers for those who attempt it, recalling that at least 15 rafters have lost their lives in recent months. .
“The crews of the Coast Guard and partner agencies do not allow people to arrive in the US illegally. 15 people needlessly died at sea because they risked themselves in the unpredictable Florida Straits aboard unseaworthy vessels and without safety equipment. Use safe and legal means to immigrate to the US,” said Captain Robert Kinsey, USCG District Seven.
