The The United States Coast Guard (USCG) repatriated 32 Cuban rafters Wednesday after intercepting his vessel near Marathon in the Florida Keys.
In a statement According to a statement posted on its website, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that last Friday, around 2 p.m., the crew of the HC-144 Ocean Sentry from the USCG Air Station in Miami notified the Key West Sector of that same agency about a boat with migrants, approximately 41 miles southeast of Long Key.
Published photos by the USCG on social network X show a small motor boat, built with zinc plates and named El Guerreroin which the Cubans apparently made the crossing.
According to the official statement, crews of law enforcement vessels from Station Islamorada intercepted the Cuban migrants’ boat and transferred them to the cutter Charles David Jr. for repatriation.
“Anyone attempting to illegally migrate by sea will be intercepted and returned to their home country,” said Lt. Cmdr. Cheri-Ann Thompson of the Coast Guard’s 7th District. “These voyages are not only illegal, but incredibly dangerous. No one should risk their lives on unsafe, unstable vessels in unpredictable seas.”
Once aboard a Coast Guard vessel, migrants are processed to determine their identity and provided with food, water, shelter and basic medical care before being repatriated to their home country or returned to the country from which they departed, the USCG statement said.
In addition, The Cuban Ministry of the Interior reported on the social network X on the return of the thirty Cuban rafters, on the morning of this Wednesday, with which they rose to 899 irregular migrants returned to the island in 56 operations return from countries in the region during 2024.
Cuban authorities did not specify in their note the composition of the group of repatriated migrants, nor when and from where they left the island.
A week ago it was reported that repatriation of 17 rafters from the US -11 men, three women and three minors, aged seven, 10 and 16-whose vessel was intercepted 24 miles south of Marquesas Keys, Florida.
“The Coast Guard and its Southeast Homeland Security Task Force, federal, state and local partners, will continue patrolling by land, air and sea to rescue and repatriate anyone attempting to illegally enter the U.S. by sea,” US border authorities stressed.
This Tuesday, agents from the Border Patrol (USBP) and partner agencies 33 rafters from Cuba who landed in Key West were arrested.
The harsh living conditions, lack of freedoms and lack of opportunities in Cuba continue to generate a Massive and irregular exodus of citizens from the island to the United Statesboth by sea and by land.
Last June alone, 17,563 Cubans entered through the US bordersaccording to data published by the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP). Of that total, 6,216 did so by seawhich confirms that the influx of Cuban rafters to the North American country continues.