Haitian migrants removed from grounded sailboat near Key Largo; over 300 in custody


Federal authorities said they have taken more than 300 Haitian migrants into custody after a grounded sailboat was spotted near Key Largo, as they investigate what they described as part of a larger smuggling operation.

At around 3 p.m. on Saturday, U.S. Border Patrol, Coast Guard and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the migrant vessel near Ocean Reef Club.

Cellphone video captured just how close the sailboat got to shore.

“All of a sudden, we got people on speaker saying, ‘Everyone needs to clear the beach, everyone out,'” said Cuyler Brown, the witness who recorded the video.

Investigators said 113 of the migrants jumped into the choppy water without life jackets and managed to swim to shore. They were taken into Border Patrol custody.

Just after 5:20 p.m., 7SkyForce hovered above the vessel as Coast Guard and Border Patrol crews worked together to bring the roughly 200 people who remained on board the vessel to safety. They will be repatriated.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/...00-in-custody/