Two boats, carrying 48 Cuban migrants, make landing on Dry Tortugas in Florida Keys
A boat with rust- and green-colored lettering reading “Solo Dios Sabe” (Only God Knows) was one of two boats that may have carried a group of 48 Cuban migrants to shore at the Dry Tortugas National Park Saturday morning.
According to a tweet and images released by Walter Slosar, chief Border Patrol agent for the Miami sector, U.S. Border Patrol and law enforcement agents responded to a migrant landing via two boats in the Florida Keys.
Among the 48 migrants, two were juveniles, according to Slosar.
By late morning, the group was on the park grounds and overseen by officials. The boats, including one with a cabin and engine, are recovered.
The migrants were awaiting transfer to a Border Patrol facility on Key West for medical screenings, said Adam Hoffner, division chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Miami operations on Saturday afternoon.
Dry Tortugas National Park was briefly shut down earlier this year after about 300 Cubans arrived before New Year’s Day. Another group of 22 from Cuba made landing in late February.
Dry Tortugas National Park is on a cluster of seven islands of 64,700 acres about 68 nautical miles from Key West. The park, accessibly only by boat or seaplane, is under federal jurisdiction.
U.S. Border Patrol agents & LE partners responded to migrant landings at the Dry Tortugas National Park & encountered 48 Cuban migrants. The group (46 adults, 2 accompanied juveniles) arrived on two vessels this morning.#floridakeys #cuba #breaking pic.twitter.com/Pdwhk8kSuu— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) March 4, 2023
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
