MIAMI, United States. – The United States Coast Guard repatriated 77 Cuban rafters this Wednesday, including three who would have crossed the Strait of Florida on a water bike, according to published images by the US agency.
The 77 Cubans were intercepted in several operations near the Florida Keys, from last Saturday, July 9, until this Monday, according to a statement of the Coast Guard.
“Our crews maintain an active presence with air and sea assets every day across the Straits of Florida to help save lives in unsafe environments,” said Lt. Travis Poulos, Coast Guard District Seven. “Our crews help prevent people from losing their lives in these dangerous attempts,” he added.
The number of Cuban migrants intercepted by US authorities in the last nine months already exceeds 3,000.
“We urge families in the United States to encourage their loved ones to migrate legally,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Cobb, a security officer for Coast Guard District Seven in the wake of the skyrocketing illegal migration of Cubans in recent years. going from the current fiscal year.
“Illegally crossing the unpredictable Florida Straits in crude and improvised boats is very dangerous and can result in loss of life,” he added.
Since October 1, 2021, the beginning of the current fiscal year, US Coast Guard crews have intercepted 3,369 Cubans, a figure that exceeds the number of migrants from the island intercepted each fiscal year from 2017 to 2021.
According to the agency, the statistics have behaved as follows: 5,396 Cubans intercepted in fiscal year 2016; 1,468 in 2017; 259 in 2018; 313 in 2019; 49 in 2020 and 838 in 2021.
“Once aboard a Coast Guard patrol boat, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention,” the Coast Guard has indicated on other occasions.
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