98 migrants rescued from boat off South Florida coast lacked food

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows Coast Guard law enforcement crews aiding people from an unsafe and overloaded 40-foot cabin cruiser about 20 miles off Boca Raton, Fla., Oct. 12, 2022. The people were transferred to Bahamian authorities, Oct 16, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP) (U.S. Coast Guard)

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Almost 100 people, mostly from Haiti, who were rescued from an overcrowded boat off the South Florida coast had no food or water for two days, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the 96 Haitians, as well as a passenger each from Uganda and the Bahamas, about 20 miles east of Boca Raton last Wednesday.

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The group was waving their arms through the windows, officials said.

They were transferred to Bahamian authorities on Sunday.

The passengers told Coast Guard crew members that they had been at sea for seven days and lacked food and water during the last two days. The 40-foot cabin cruiser was overloaded with 53 men, 35 woman and 10 children, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Once onboard, the group received food, water, shelter and basic medical attention, officials said.

No one was injured.

“Paying anyone to smuggle you into the U.S. is dangerous and illegal,” said Capt. Robert Kinsey, of the Coast Guard District Seven. “Smugglers do not care whether you live or die as evident by how recklessly overloaded this (boat) was and how long these people went without food and water. These people are lucky to be alive.”

Since Oct. 1, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 96 Haitian migrants compared to:

  • 7,137 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2022
  • 1,527 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2021
  • 418 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020
  • 932 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019
  • 609 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018
  • 419 Haitian Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017

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Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

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