A ship carrying over 300 Haitian migrants was intercepted by the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard Saturday after it made landfall in Florida.
Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar said the ship was grounded near Ocean Reef near Key Largo.
The migrants were taken into Border Patrol custody after landfall and were medically screened. Two of the migrants were taken to a local hospital to be treated for dehydration.
Slosar said the situation is a “national security mission”, “We are working to keep them safe, clean, fed, and healthy and identify who they are and what they may have brought into the country.”
Slosar said that agents are working to identify the smugglers among the group.
“All 113 Haitian migrants were medically screened on scene. Two migrants were taken to a local area hospital for dehydration. The remaining migrants onboard the vessel (approx. 220) were safely transferred to USCG Southeast Cutter,” said Slosar.
In a two-day period, Border agents and law enforcement agencies responded to 16 migrant landings in Florida & arrested 263 migrants. All of the events involved makeshift, overloaded vessels.
“We urge migrants to avoid these dangerous voyages that can potentially result in loss of life,” said Slosar on Twitter.
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