BOCA RATON, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six Cuban migrants Wednesday morning off the coast of Boca Raton.
Coast Guard officials said the migrants were found about 9 a.m., two nautical miles east of Boca Raton. The migrants told the crew that two others were missing.
Officials said the migrants said that the others have been missing since sunset on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard searched by boat and helicopter for the missing migrants.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircrew is assisting in the search.
After covering more than 1.530 square miles off the coast of Boca Raton the Coast Guard suspended the search for the two migrants at 7:39 p.m. Wednesday, according to a media release.
The migrants' boat washed ashore shortly after they were rescued near The Addison condos at 1500 S. Ocean Blvd.
"It's a crazy scene over here. I've never seen anything like it," Michael Schiff told Local 10 News on the beach at South Inlet Park. "I can't believe that boat made the 90-mile trek all the way across. I mean, it's so rickety and it's small."
Beachgoers watched as crews worked to remove the wooden boat from the beach.
"At first we thought they were filming a movie," Theresa Baiz said.
"You know, it has to be pretty bad over there to be coming in such a risky situation on a risky boat like that," Diego Delgado added. "They obviously would love to have a better life."
The migrants were in good condition and some were treated for dehydration, officials said.
According to the Coast Guard, 5,200 Cubans have tried to leave the island by sea since Oct. 1, 2015, compared to 2014, when more than 4,400 tried to reach the U.S. through the Florida Straits.
