Coast Guard Returns Migrants To Cuba

The dangerous voyages of migrants from Cuba to South Florida continued last week with some making their way to land in Miami, but the Coast Guard said eight migrants from two separate groups were intercepted at sea and returned to the island Sunday. One group was spotted 8 miles Southwest of Key West last Tuesday, and the Coast Guard cutter Vigilant took 5 people aboard.A second group of three migrants was spotted by the cutter Sawfish on February 24th in the same general area, about 70 miles Southwest of Key West. The Coast Guard said all migrants were given food and a medical checkup after they were transferred to the patrol boat Knight Island Saturday night. The patrol boat took them to Bahia de Cubanas, Cuba Sunday. Their boats appeared to have been built on the island and were destroyed as hazards to navigation.