Coast Guard repatriates 82 to Cuba from migrant vessels




David Lyons, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Mon, January 16, 2023 at 4:33 PM EST




The U.S. Coast Guard said it shipped 82 would-be migrants back to Cuba on Monday after they were intercepted at various points along South Florida’s coast over the past week.

In a statement, the agency said it had intercepted the migrants after they were sighted aboard separate vessels between Jan. 8 and 13.

The vessels were intercepted at points off Sunny Isles, Marquesas Key, Marathon, Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe.

But the Coast Guard had no immediate update on the fate of 22 people reportedly from a boat that capsized in Bahamian waters.

In a Sunday appearance on WPLG-Channel 10, Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson said the Coast Guard was “supporting the Royal Bahamian Defense Force to rescue as many as 22 people that may be in the water.”

On Monday, a Coast Guard spokeswoman reaffirmed to the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the search is being led by the Bahamian defense force and reiterated that the Coast Guard had been asked to assist.

She had no further information.

A search reportedly was launched after the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Liberty of the Seas spotted another vessel and took aboard several migrants over the weekend. Those survivors informed authorities of the capsized boat.

“New legal pathways to enter the United States were announced by the White House and Department of Homeland Security,” said Cmdr. Jorge Valente, of Coast Guard District Seven in Monday’s statement. “We urge all people to use the safe and legal means available to travel to the United States and not take to the sea.”

Since Oct. 1, 2022, Coast Guard crews interdicted 4,962 Cubans. During fiscal year 2022, which ended last Sept. 30, a total of 6,812 were intercepted. In the preceding for years, the annual numbers ranged from 49 in 2020 to 838 in 2021.

“Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention,” the agency said in its Monday statement.

In a tweet two days ago, the Coast Guard reported there were 65 confirmed deaths related to “migrant ventures” in the last fiscal year. “This year there are already 13,” it said.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/coast-gua...213300467.html