Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket file photo
MIAMI – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket repatriated 19 Cuban migrants interdicted during three incidents to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Monday.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish interdicted two rustic vessels Thursday, one with seven Cuban migrants aboard approximately 60 miles south of Marquesas, Fla., and one with eight Cuban migrants aboard 65 miles south of Key West, Fla.
In the third incident, multiple aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Miami located a 30-foot go-fast type vessel approximately eight miles east of Hillsboro Inlet, Fla, Tuesday. After the operator of the go-fast failed to follow a lawful order to stop, a Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale, Fla., boatcrew fired warning shots, which was successful in compelling the operator to stop the vessel about four miles east of Hillsboro Inlet. Aboard the vessel were two suspected smugglers, four Cuban migrants and four Haitian migrants.
The two suspected smugglers were turned over to Customs and Border Protection officials in Fort Lauderdale, Thursday. One Haitian migrant was turned over to CBP officals ashore due to medical concerns.
Disposition is not complete for the remaining three Haitian migrants.
Once aboard a Coast Guard Cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical care.
For information on how to legally immigrate to the United States, call U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at 1-800-375-5283 or visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov.
The Nantucket is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West.
The Sawfish is an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West.
