US Coast Guard Repatriates 70 Cubans Intercepted Off Florida Keys

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The US Coast Guard announced Friday it had repatriated 70 Cubans back to their island nation, after eight interdictions off the Florida Keys.

Here is what Coast Guard officials said about their operation:

-- Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk's crew alerted Sector Key West watchstanders on April 1, at approximately 4 p.m., of a migrant vessel about 45 miles south of Marathon.

-- A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders, Saturday, at approximately 7:30 a.m., of a migrant vessel about 18 miles south of Marathon.

-- A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders, Saturday, at approximately 5 p.m., of a migrant vessel about 30 miles south of Big Pine Key.

-- A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 airplane crew alerted Sector Key West watchstanders, Sunday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., of a migrant vessel about 27 miles south of Marathon.

-- A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders, Monday, at approximately 11:30 a.m., of a migrant vessel about 17 miles south of Marquesas Key.

-- A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders, Monday, at approximately 4 p.m., of a migrant vessel about 30 miles south of Marathon.

-- A Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations flight crew alerted Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders, Wednesday, at approximately 10:45 p.m., of a migrant vessel about 30 miles south of Key West.

-- Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton's crew alerted Sector Key West watchstanders, Wednesday, at noon, of a migrant vessel about 62 miles south of Marathon.

"These ventures are risky," said Lt. Connor Ives, Coast Guard District Seven enforcement officer. "Working together with our partner agencies, our crews help prevent people from losing their lives."

Since Oct. 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews interdicted 1,257 Cubans compared to:

5,396 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2016
1,468 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017
259 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
313 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
49 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
838 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021