MIAMI — After being rescued by the Coast Guard, and transferred aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Knight Island, 53 Cuban migrants were repatriated to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Friday.
These repatriations are a result of five separate attempts to illegally migrate to the United States aboard rustic vessels in the Florida Straits stemming back to Monday.
Coast Guard assets involved in the cases were:
- Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell, 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Miami.
- Coast Guard Cutter Knight Island, 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West, Florida.
- Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant, 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida.
“The Coast Guard and our local partners are maintaining a robust presence in the Florida Straits using a variety of surface and aviation assets and continually seeking ways to most effectively deploy force packages,” said Cmdr. Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of enforcement for the 7th Coast Guard District. “There is a legal way to seek entry into the United States. For those that choose to take to the sea and attempt to illegally enter, know that the Coast Guard is, first, out there to save you from the sea, but we will also prevent you from crossing our borders. And once we safely embark you on board our ships, we will quickly return you to your country of origin.”
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.
In the month of June, 217 Cuban migrants have been interdicted by the Coast Guard.
