The United States Coast Guard has transferred 20 Cuban nationals to Bahamian authorities following a coordinated rescue effort near Anguilla Cay, an uninhabited island in the Bahamas.
According to a statement from the Seventh Coast Guard District, the operation began Friday when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami agents alerted Coast Guard watchstanders about a potential group of migrants stranded on Anguilla Cay.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations aircrew confirmed the group’s presence and condition, while a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft dropped supplies—food, water, and a radio—to maintain contact with the group.
Bahamian officials formally requested assistance from the Coast Guard, prompting the deployment of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Walnut. The cutter’s crew arrived on scene and brought the individuals aboard due to “safety of life at sea concerns pending their disposition.”
The migrants were later transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell and handed over to Bahamian authorities on Tuesday.
“The Coast Guard continues to work daily with our state, federal, and international partners to stop illegal maritime migration voyages and to prevent the unnecessary loss of life at sea,” said Lt. Fernando Pla, duty enforcement officer for the Seventh Coast Guard District. “Anyone attempting to enter the United States illegally by sea will be interdicted and repatriated to their country of origin or departure.”
Once aboard a Coast Guard vessel, migrants are identified and provided with basic necessities, including food, water, shelter, and medical care, before being repatriated.
The Coast Guard operates as part of Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Vigilant Sentry, a multi-agency initiative focused on maritime border enforcement. The operation spans key migration routes in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the broader Caribbean Sea, employing a mix of air, land, and sea assets to safeguard lives while deterring illegal migration attempts.
