More than 120 migrants land in Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. – More than 120 migrants landed in Key West early Wednesday morning, U.S. Border Patrol and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

Buses eventually brought the migrants to the Border Patrol station in Dania Beach.

According to authorities, a large sail freighter carrying more than 120 migrants landed in Key West around 4 a.m., just north of Higgs Beach.

They said they were at sea for seven days.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg, of the U.S. Coast Guard, said the migrants landed in the vicinity of the Key West Nature Preserve.

“U.S. Border Patrol as well as local law enforcement agencies are on scene now,” he said in an email to Local 10 News.

Authorities said women and children were among the migrants who arrived on the boat.

Strasburg said the Border Patrol is the lead agency for migrant landings and all further updates would come from them.

We are continuing to monitor this migrant landing. Watch Local 10 News or refresh this page for updates.

(Photo courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff's Office.)

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About the Authors

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

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

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