And Cuban rafter passed away during the interception of a vessel in Bahamian waters bound for the coast of Florida, US authorities reported on Wednesday.
The Cutter Legare de la United States Coast Guard (USCG) located and intercepted the vessel with 15 Cuban immigrants on board approximately 16 miles southeast of Anguilla Cay, around 8:30 pm last Monday.
“After intercepting the vessel, Coast Guard personnel realized a passenger was unconscious and unresponsive. Crew members attempted to revive him and administered CPR for approximately 30 minutes, but little was certified by the USCG Acting Physician. after the person had died,” according to a official announcement.
The crew of the Legare transferred the 14 survivors and handed them over to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force on Tuesday, while the body of the deceased was sent to a forensic medicine office in that country for the rigorous procedures, including the identification of the body and subsequent notification to the relatives.
The discovery and interception of the Cuban immigrants occurred while the Legare patrolled the area as part of the call Operation Vigilant Sentrya multi-agency initiative that deploys air and surface assets to confront illegal maritime migration in the United States Caribbean corridor.
“This incident serves as a solemn reminder that illegal maritime immigration is always dangerous and very often deadly,” said Captain Joanna K. HiigelUSCG Deputy Incident Commander for Operation Watchful Sentinel.
Commander Hiigel called on all people considering irregular migration to “prioritize their own safety and that of their family by using the legal avenues available to them.”
“We express our sincere condolences to anyone impacted by this tragic loss,” the official concluded.
The report did not include further details about the condition of the survivors. In accordance with the established regulations, the Cubans remain detained in the Bahamas until they are returned by air to Cuba.
During 2023, they have been a total of 641 Cuban rafters repatriated from the Bahamas in 15 operations.
This week’s fatal incident occurs at times of an escalation in sea crossings from Cuba. During the current fiscal year (FY2023), which began on October 1, the USCG has intercepted 6,800 Cubans en route to the Florida coast, while more than 28 thousand managed to enter US territory for the Miami sector.
