• Submitted by: admin
• International
• North America
• Politics and Government
• 10 / 13 / 2007

The Coast Guard repatriated 41 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba, on Thursday who had been stopped at sea in five separate incidents during the past week.

A helicopter from Air Station Miami located a loaded go-fast boat west of Marquesas, Fla., Sunday, and a vessel from the Coast Guard station in Key West sailed to stop the boat. Nine Cuban migrants and two suspected smugglers were taken aboard, and the suspected smugglers were transferred to officials in Key West on Monday.

The Coast Guard located and took aboard 10 Cuban migrants on Cosgrove Shoal Light, four miles south of Marquesas, Sunday. On Friday, the Coast Guard located a disabled go-fast vessel with 16 Cuban migrants and two suspected smugglers 21 miles south of Marquesas, Friday. The go-fast boat and suspected smugglers were turned over to Customs and Border Protection agents in Key West.

Two Coast Guard cutters chased two go-fast vessels Oct. 4, 90 miles northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, catching one 45 miles northeast of Cozumel. On board the first vessel, which had been reported stolen by the Collier County Sheriff's Office, were two suspected smugglers and one Cuban migrant. The second go-fast boat was stopped and all aboard taken into custody by the Mexican navy 20 miles northeast of Cozumel.

Meanwhile, a civilian took aboard seven Cuban migrants from an old boat 15 miles east of Islamorada on Oct. 3.

Source: Sun Sentinel