2787
Views

U.S. Coast Guard Suspends Search for 10 Missing Migrants

coast guard rescue cuban migrant
The crew of the cutter Resolute rescued eight Cuban nationals from the water off Key West on May 27 (USCG)

Published May 31, 2021 9:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

[Brief] On Saturday evening, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for 10 Cuban migrants who went missing when their boat capsized about 16 miles south of Key West, Florida on Wednesday.

Teams from the Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Customs and Border Protection, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission assisted with the search for a total of 123 hours, covering 8,864 square miles - an area roughly the size of New Hampshire, according to the Coast Guard.

While the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute was conducting a routine patrol on Thursday, her crew sighted several people in the water. These eight survivors detailed how their boat left Puerto de Mariel, Cuba on Sunday and capsized Wednesday evening. According to the survivors, there were still 10 other individuals missing. Two additional individuals were pronounced dead after their bodies were recovered. 

The cutter Resolute saved eight survivors and recovered two bodies from the capsized boat on May 27 (USCG)

A USCG Ocean Sentry aircrew out of Air Station Miami searches for the missing migrants, May 27 (USCG)

"The Coast Guard, partner Department of Defense and local agency crews searched continuously the past three days to locate the missing 10 people," said Capt. Adam Chamie, Commander of Sector Key West in the statement. "The decision to suspend a search is always difficult and is made after careful consideration of all the facts. Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy."