15 Cuban migrants rescued after being stranded on uninhabited island

Migrants rescued from Marquesas Keys (@USBPChiefMIP)

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – Crews rescued 15 Cuban migrants stranded on an uninhabited island in the Florida Keys Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar, who heads the Border Patrol’s Miami sector, tweeted that the migrants made landfall in a “rustic vessel” on an island in the Marquesas Keys, which are west of Key West.

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Agents took them into custody, Slosar said.

Officials did not say how long the migrants were stranded on the island.

Less than 24 hours before this rescue, a Carnival cruise liner rescued 12 stranded migrants drifting in the Straits of Florida.

Federal agencies are dealing with a massive increase in Cuban migration. The Coast Guard says crews have intercepted more than 3,400 Cuban migrants since Oct. 1, 2021.


About the Author:

Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.