(MIAMI, Florida) — Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge and his crew repatriated 83 Cubans to Cuba, Saturday.
Coast Guard officials said a law enforcement aircrew spotted one migrant boat about 50 miles south of Grassy Key last Sunday afternoon.
The same aircrew located a similar migrant vessel approximately 45 miles south of Grassy Key.
A good Samaritan notified the Coast Guard of yet another migrant vessel, Sunday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., about 20 miles south of Dry Tortugas.
Since Oct. 1, 2022, Coast Guard crews interdicted 1,702 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
- 838 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021
- 6,182 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2022
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention, according to Coast Guard officials.
#Final @USCG Cutter Richard Etheridge's crew repatriated 83 Cubans, Sat.
"The #USCG, along with our partners, will continue to stop illegal migration at sea & return people to their country of origin or departure." – Lt. Ives, USCG D7
Read: https://t.co/HMSL88FG9g@USEmbCuba pic.twitter.com/0JH9dgm0xK
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) November 12, 2022