The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans repatriated 16 Cuban migrants to Cuba on Tuesday, following an interdiction in the Florida Straits.
The interdiction took place on Friday, approximately 15 miles southwest of Gun Cay, Bahamas. A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 aircrew initially detected the 25-foot makeshift vessel and alerted Coast Guard Sector Miami.
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The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Manowar was diverted to intercept the vessel. After being taken aboard the cutter, the migrants were provided with food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.
“Our Coast Guard crew members continue to prioritize the safety of life sea while providing the upmost security to our nation’s border integrity as the nation’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency,” said Senior Chief Brodie MacDonald, officer-in-charge of the Coast Guard Cutter Manowar. “We will continue to faithfully execute our border security mission across the Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea.”
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This incident is part of the ongoing Operation Vigilant Sentry, a multi-agency effort to protect the safety of life at sea and prevent illegal entry into the United States.
The Coast Guard and its partners maintain a constant presence in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea to carry out this mission.
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2025 on October 1st, Coast Guard crews have repatriated 98 Cuban migrants, compared to 749 in fiscal year 2024.
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