SLP, Mexico.- The United States Coast Guard (USCG) rescued 37 Cuban migrants who were stranded on Cay Sal Bank and Anguilla Cay, islands of the Bahamas, according to a official note published this Sunday.
This Sunday, William Flores’ crew transferred the two groups of Cubans to the Bahamian authorities after having found them between Thursday and Friday off the Bahamas.
The first sighting had happened Thursday, when a Coast Guard auxiliary crew from Air Station Miami notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders of a group of people waving their arms in distress on Cay Sal Bank.
A day later, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry crew from the Coast Guard Air Station Miami alerted the watchmen of the Coast Guard District Seven about the presence of a group of migrants stranded in Anguilla Cay, Bahamas. The American agents threw them food, water and a radio to establish communications.
#DontTakeToTheSea The crew of @USCG Cutter William Flores transferred 37 Cuban migrants to The Bahamas, Sun., following 2 rescues of migrants stranded on the islands of Cal Sal Bank & Anguilla Cay, Bahamas. #Don’tRisk #OVS
More: https://t.co/Nkv7TeJYnC@USEmbCuba pic.twitter.com/dnQdamvno8— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) January 13, 2025
Bahamian authorities requested help from the US Coast Guard agency to rescue people on both uninhabited islands. Once aboard the Coast Guard cutter Northland, the migrants received basic medical care before being processed for repatriation to the Bahamas.
Lt. Connor Pascale, Coast Guard liaison officer in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, said they diligently patrol the Florida Straits, Windward Passage and Mona Passage to save lives by rescuing immigrants from unsafe environments. , deterring dangerous attempts to enter the United States illegally by sea and preventing human smuggling.
“These irregular and illegal trips on unseaworthy vessels are extremely dangerous and endanger the lives of migrants,” he said.
Numerous groups of Cubans try to cross the Straits of Florida to escape the harsh conditions of life on the Island. In the midst of a context of shortages of food, medical supplies and a serious inflationary crisis, many residents of the largest of the Antilles risk their lives to reach the North American country.
In the midst of the largest Cuban immigration crisis, hundreds of Cubans have tried to enter US territory. After a drastic drop in approvals for the parole humanitarian program implemented by the Joe Biden administration, some have opted to arrive illegally in the United States.
However, Havana and Washington resumed deportation flights last year, and this year there are already 91 return flights to Cuba, from different countries in the region in 2024, with a total of 1,354 people repatriated to the Island.
