DATE: May 5, 2007 11:12:40 AM EDT

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Press Release

Date: May 5, 2007

Contact: Barry Bena
(305) 415-6683

                         

Coast Guard Repatriates 16 Cuban Migrants

MIAMI - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish repatriated 16 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba today at 10 a.m.

The crew of the M/V Somerset spotted a rustic vessel May 1 with 11 Cuban migrants on board approximately 60 miles south of Cuba.  They immediately embarked all the migrants and later rendezvoused with the Coast Guard Cutter Willow to transfer all the migrants.

A Tow Boat US vessel came upon a makeshift raft yesterday 24 miles south of Big Pine Key, Fla., with five Cuban migrants on board.  A Coast Guard Station Key West, Fla., small boat was dispatched to interdict the migrants.  Once on scene, the Station Key West crew recovered all the migrants and later transfered them to the Cutter Willow.  

Once on board Coast Guard cutters, all migrants receive food, water and any necessary medical treatment. 

The Willow is a 225-foot seagoing buoy tender homeported in Newport, RI.

The Sawfish is an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West, Fla.

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.

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