US Coast Guards send back 35 Cuban migrants

The Cutter Raymond Evan’s crew of United States Coast Guard repatriated 32 Cubans back to Cuba following five interdictions off the coast of Key West, Florida. This was incident took place on Saturday.

During a routine patrolling in the morning on Sunday, Air Station Miami HC-144 airplane crew informed the Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders. This was informed by Air Station Miami HC-144 airplane crew at 5:10 p.m. According to the information passed there was a rustic vessel was spotted with five people onboard at 63 miles away in the south of Key West, Florida.

The Coast Guard states that they have brought aboard the Cutter Raymond Evans, those have were reported in good health. On Wednesday, the Coast Guard spotted a rustic vessel with 13 people aboard to 61 miles south of Key West. This information was given during routine patrolling by Coast Guard Air Clearwater HC-130 airplane crew to sector Key West watchstanders.

The US Coast Guard said that Sector Key West watchstanders were told on Wednesday that Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations airplane crew saw a 20-foot fishing vessel carrying five people onboard 25 miles far south of Marathon, Florida.

After that, a good Samaritan told watchstanders about a green raft about 23 miles southeast of Marathon with three people aboard. The US Coast Guard stated.

Lieutenant Commander Mario Gil, Coast Guard Liaison Officer, US Embassy Havana, said, “Navigating the Florida Straits is difficult and unpredictable in rustic vessels. Taking to the season unsafe vessels is dangerous and can result in loss of life.”

From October 1, 2020, 729 Cubans were stopped by the Coast Guard, which was low as compared to that of the year 2016 when the Coast Guard intercepted 5,396 Cubans migrants. 1,468 Cuban migrants were stopped by the guards in Fiscal Year 2017. 259 Cuban migrants during the Year 2018. 313 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2019, and 49 Cuban migrants in the Fiscal Year 2020.