The U.S. Coast Guard says it stopped a dangerously overloaded boat filled with migrants from Haiti, and got assistance from Cuban authorities.
A Coast Guard cutter spotted the migrants’ open sailboat 20 miles northeast of Cuba. Chief Petty Officer Crystalynn Kneen says the crew of the cutter sent a smaller boat to assist the migrants because their vessel was taking on water.
The Coast Guard said in a statement Wednesday that 50 migrants were taken on board the cutter Reliance but another 77 on the small sailboat refused to board or accept life jackets. Their boat drifted into Cuban waters where the Cuban Border Guard took custody of them.
The Coast Guard says the 50 detained by the U.S. were turned over to Haitian authorities Tuesday.