PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard repatriates 17 migrants to Cuba

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast Contact: 7th District Public Affairs Office: 305-415-6683 After Hours: 786-367-7649 7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard repatriates 17 migrants to Cuba

 

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MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton's crew repatriated 17 Cuban migrants to Cuba, Monday.

The 17 Cuban migrants were interdicted Thursday by the Charles Sexton crew approximately 54 miles south of Key West and brought aboard due to safety of life at sea concerns.

"People who attempt to illegally enter the United States by taking to the sea put their lives, and the lives of their accompanying family members at grave risk," said Lt. Cmdr. Mario Gil, Coast Guard liaison officer, U.S. Embassy Havana. "We strongly  discourage these dangerous and deadly voyages in favor of safe and legal ways to enter the United States."

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 107 Cubans compared to:

• 5,396 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2016
  
• 1,468 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2017 
  
• 259 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
  
• 313 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
  
• 49 Cuban migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
  
  

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. Throughout the interdiction, Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19.  There were no migrants in these cases reported to have any COVID-19 related symptoms.

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-USCG-