Coast Guard repatriates 21 Cuban migrants found off coast of Florida Keys

MIAMI – Crewmembers of the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 21 people to Cuba on Tuesday, following two interdictions of undocumented migrants due to safety of life at sea concerns.

While on a routine patrol, cutter Kathleen Moore’s crew interdicted a sailing vessel at about 1:30 p.m. on Friday, approximately 46 miles south of Key West.

A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watch standers, Saturday, at about 11 a.m., of a rustic vessel approximately five miles east of Islamorada.

“Navigating the seas in a less than seaworthy vessel is dangerous and could result in loss of life, Coast Guard District Seven enforcement officer Lt. Karolina Del Hierro Vega said.

“Coast Guard crews and our local and federal law enforcement partners maintain an active presence with air and sea assets every day through the Florida Straits to help save lives by removing people from unsafe environments and deterring dangerous migrant voyages. We urge people not to take to the sea in unseaworthy vessels,” she said.

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter gave all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.

Throughout the interdictions, Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19.

Since Oct. 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews interdicted 961 Cubans compared to:

• 5,396 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2016
• 1,468 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017
• 259 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
• 313 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
• 49 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
• 838 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021