MIAMI, USA --Sixty-four Cuban migrants aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore were repatriated to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, on Monday.
This repatriation is a result of five separate migrant interdictions at sea in the south Florida Straits. These events were Cubans trying to enter the United States illegally on unseaworthy vessels commonly referred to as "rustics" or "chugs." In these instances, the Coast Guard not only helped secure the US border, but they also prevented these perilous sea voyages from ending in tragedy.
The Kathleen Moore, along with numerous other Coast Guard patrol boats and aircraft, aggressively patrol the Florida Straits to detect and deter illegal and unsafe maritime migration. Safety of life at sea is always the Coast Guard's top priority.
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.
"The Coast Guard continues to strongly discourage attempts to illegally enter the country by taking to the sea," said Capt. Mark Fedor, Coast Guard 7th District Chief of Response. "These trips are extremely dangerous and could lead to loss of life. Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, we will seek to quickly repatriate illegal migrants to their respective countries."
