The U.S. Coast Guard repatriated six migrants to Cuba on Tuesday following two separate operations in the Florida Straits involving a rustic vessel and the rescue of a disabled fishing boat.
The rescue efforts began last Thursday when Coast Guard Sector Key West staff were notified by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircrew about a rustic boat in the waters off southwest of Cay Sal.
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew pinpointed the location, allowing the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans to embark three Cuban men. One was medically evacuated to shore with no additional details.
In a second incident on Sunday, an aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Miami spotted a disabled Cuban fishing vessel carrying four people almost 50 miles southeast of Key West. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo responded to the scene and rescued all four passengers.
"Our crews remain vigilant in protecting our maritime borders while safeguarding lives at sea," said Capt. Aaron Ortenzio, commanding officer of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami.
The operations were conducted under Operation Vigilant Sentry, a multi-agency effort to maintain air, land, and sea presence in the region to prevent illegal migration while ensuring safety at sea, said Coast Guard officials.
Cuba's economic crisis has deepened in the last year, compounded by U.S. energy and financial restrictions imposed by the Trump administration since last January.
Meanwhile, Cubans on the communist government island have endured blackouts lasting more than 30 hours, transportation disruptions, flight cancellations and a sharp decline in production.
