Cuba

Increasing number of Cuban migrants are trying to reach U.S. by sea

By Alfonso Chardy

achardy@elnuevoherald.com

May 17, 2016 06:23 PM

A crewmember of the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk passes a life jacket to a Cuban immigrant who had jumped into the water from a rickety boat intercepted south of Key West, in 2015.
A crewmember of the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk passes a life jacket to a Cuban immigrant who had jumped into the water from a rickety boat intercepted south of Key West, in 2015. U.S. Coast Guard Courtesy
A crewmember of the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk passes a life jacket to a Cuban immigrant who had jumped into the water from a rickety boat intercepted south of Key West, in 2015. U.S. Coast Guard Courtesy

When the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 52 Cuban migrants in early May, the agency also noted a steady increase in attempts by Cuban migrants to reach South Florida by boat.

According to figures provided by the Coast Guard itself, at least 3,563 Cuban migrants have been spotted or intercepted at sea, or have reached South Florida since Oct. 1, the start of the federal fiscal year.

This suggests that if the Cuban migrant flow by sea continues at the same pace, total interceptions, sightings or arrivals during fiscal year 2015 — 4,476 — may be surpassed before the end of the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Read the full story at InCubaToday.

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