The United States Coast Guard (USCG) repatriated this Wednesday 84 Cuban rafters intercepted near the Florida Keys.
Statistics released by USCG indicate that since fiscal year 2022 (FY22) began. on October 1, they have been intercepted1,446 Cubans, a figure that far exceeds the 838 of the entire previous period and practically equals the 1,468 captured in 2017, when thedry foot/wet foot policy. The figure does not account for the more than 200 detained by Border Patrol agents during FY22.
The rafters returned to Cuba this Wednesday were rescued on five different voyages between April 17 and 19, according to thestatement issued by the authorities.
The first group was intercepted on April 17, at approximately 3:30 p.m., about 7 miles south of Boot Key.
Later that day, around 5:30 p.m., Key West Sector security guards spotted a homemade boat withCuban rafters about 23 miles southwest of Cay Sal, in the Bahamas.
The third group of migrants from the island was rescued on April 18, at approximately 9 a.m., about 17 miles south of Marathon.
The crew of a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircraft alerted Key West Sector watchstanders of another rustic vessel that same day, at approximately 12:30 p.m., about 52 miles southwest of Marathon.
On April 19 at 3:30 in the afternoon, about 44 miles south of Marathon, the fifth boat was intercepted, which completed the 84 Cubans who werereturned this Wednesday to the island.
"These trips are dangerous in improvised and rustic boats, without food, water or safety equipment," he said ina statement Lt. Travis Poulos, Coast Guard Legal District Seven.
"Our air and surface crews, along with our local and federal law enforcement partners, work together every day to maintain an active presence throughout the Florida Straits and the Mona and Windward Passages to help save lives by preventing these trips," he added.
The Coast Guard statement does not specify how many rafters were detained on each vessel. In recent days,CyberCuba has published several reports of disappearance of rafters made by their relatives.
Among them there is a group ofeleven young people who left Ciego de Ávila on April 14 in a boat without a motor; Also that day the young Cuban left on a boatYenry Montufar Rodríguez.
Others20 Cubans were missing at sea after leaving Villa Clara on April 18, although recent reports from relatives indicate that they could already be in Miami.
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