CGC WILLIAM SPARLING

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Coast Guard Cutter rescued six migrants

The Coast Guard Cutter 'Richard Etheridge' repatriated 19 migrants to Cuba on June 17, 2023, following multiple interdictions of maritime migration attempts in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry. The first case was reported by the Eighth Coast Guard District, where watchstanders were contacted by a merchant vessel which rescued three Cuban nationals in the Gulf of Mexico. The migrants were transferred to Coast Guard Cutter 'Oak'. The second case occurred after a good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders of a migrant vessel approximately 12 miles south of Boot Key, Florida. Coast Guard Station Marathon boat crews arrived on scene and safely embarked one Cuban national, who was transferred onto the 'Oak' too. The third case was initiated by a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 aircrew who notified Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders of a disabled center console with six persons onboard waving their arms in distress, approximately 25 miles east of Jensen Beach, Florida. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce launched a boat crew to rescue the migrants who claimed they departed Cuba six days prior and ran out of fuel. The migrants were transferred to the 'William Sparling'. The fourth case occurred after Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a report of a migrant vessel four miles south of Marathon, Florida. Coast Guard Station Marathon launched a boat crew to rescue the 10 migrants onboard and transferred them onto the 'Oak'. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3809848/coast-guard-repatriates-19-migrants-to-cuba-following-multiple-interdictions/