MIAMI, Feb 16, CMC – The United States Coast Guard says it has repatriated 148 nationals of Haiti and Cuba who were trying to reach American shores illegally.
The US Coast Guard said the crew of its Cutter Escanaba returned 132 Haitians following a maritime interdiction about 50 miles southeast of Marathon, Florida.
The Haitians were on a 30-foot sailing vessel travelling northwest between Cuba and Cay Sal Bank, the US Coast Guard said. The boat was overloaded.
The US Coast Guard also said the crew from its Cutter Raymond Evan repatriated 16 migrants to Cuba, following a maritime interdiction about 15 miles southwest of Gun Cay, Bahamas.
They were spotted on a 25-foot makeshift vessel.
“Our Coast Guard crew members continue to prioritise 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.”
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2025 (which began October 1, 2024), the US Coast Guard said its crews repatriated a total of 313 migrants to Haiti and 98 to Cuba, compared to 857 and 749, respectively, in the previous fiscal year.
“Anyone attempting to enter the United States illegally by sea will be interdicted and repatriated, consistent with US law and policy,” the US Coast Guard warned.
CMC/ed/2025