Estimated 150 migrants found on boat near Key Largo, U.S. Coast Guard says

Angie DiMichele, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
·1 min read
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U.S. Coast Guard crews are working the scene of a stranded sailing vessel in the waters off the coast of Ocean Reef in Key Largo, the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast said in a Tweet Saturday afternoon.

An estimated 150 to 200 people were found aboard, Petty Officer Nicole Groll, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast 7th District, said.

Groll said officials had not yet determined where they are from.

Coast Guard officials are still searching Saturday for five people who went missing in the waters off the lower Florida Keys after a boat carrying 15 immigrants capsized about 14 miles south of Sugarloaf Key Friday morning. Two of the 15 died.

Also on Saturday, the Coast Guard repatriated 53 Cubans who were interdicted at sea earlier in the week off of Key West, Boca Chica Key, Duck Key and the Seven Mile Bridge, according to a news release.

Since October 2021, Coast Guard crews have repatriated a total of 3,739 Cubans and over 6,000 Haitians.