MIAMI, United States. — The United States Coast Guard (USCG) repatriated this Thursday 66 Cuban migrants who had arrived by sea off the coast of Florida in recent days.
According to a release of that entity, the Cubans were returned to the island by the crew of the Coast Guard cutter William Trump.
The migrants who were repatriated had been detained in different operations carried out throughout the week.
The first group was intercepted on Saturday, July 24, about 77 nautical miles south of Key West.
Two other groups were rescued last Monday: one about nine miles south of Cayo Maratón and another about 28 miles south of Cayo Pino Grande.
According to the Coast Guard, the fourth group was intercepted aboard a rustic boat at dawn this Wednesday about 28 miles southeast of Cayo Paloma.
The Coast Guard itself indicated that all the rescued migrants received food, water, shelter and basic medical care.
The US authorities have insisted in recent months on the dangers involved in the sea crossing through the Straits of Florida, a message that the Coast Guard has once again extended.
“Navigating the seas in an unseaworthy vessel is dangerous and could result in loss of life. Our crews are diligently patrolling the region to prevent people from losing their lives in these dangerous attempts,” said Lt. Matthew Miller, Coast Guard District Seven.
Since October 1, 2021, the date on which fiscal year 2022 began in the United States, Coast Guard crews intercepted 3,489 Cubans, a figure notably higher than those recorded in fiscal years 2017 (1,468), 2018 ( 259), 2019 (313), 2020 (49), and 2021 (838).
The 3,489 Cubans who have been intercepted so far in fiscal year 2022 are close to the 5,396 Cuban migrants intercepted in fiscal year 2016, when the “Dry feet, wet feet” policy was still in force, repealed on December 12. January 2017 by then President Barack Obama.
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