The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Eighteen Cuban migrants were brought to Grand Bahama on Thursday after being stranded on a cay in the Bahamas for some nine days before they were spotted by the US Coast Guard.

Among the group was a 13 year old – the youngest of the migrants, according to immigration officials in Freeport.

Immigration officer Napthali Cooper reported that the migrants claimed to have left Cuba on May 22 and were at sea for three days and ran out of food and water.  

The migrants told officials that they took refuge on a cay in the Cay Sal Bank for nine days before they were spotted by the USCG air team, which dropped food and water on Tuesday.  

The USCG Cutter Margaret Norville was dispatched to the location and picked up the group and brought them to Lucayan Harbour around 8am on Thursday.

Immigration officials took the group in custody.

According to Mr Cooper, most of the migrants were very young.

“This group was the youngest group every brought by USCG,” he said. “The majority were born in the 1990s and the youngest was born in 2002. The oldest was born in 1969.”

The immigration officer also noted that one migrant was traveling with three of his children who were born in the 1970s.

The Cubans are expected to be flown to New Providence to the Detention Centre to await repatriation.