Federal authorities said 163 people swam ashore after a wooden boat carrying hundreds of Haitian migrants ran aground in shallow water in the Florida Keys, as part of a suspected human smuggling operation. Many required medical attention after they came ashore.
It was not far from where another boat carrying 176 Haitians was stopped in January that the boat carrying people listed sharply to the side near an Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo.
In a tweet posted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Chief Agent Walter N. Slosar on Sunday night, said many migrants needed medical attention on Sunday night.
In a rush to help the migrants, which included children and women, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies rushed in
On Sunday night, Lt. Cmdr. Jason Neiman of the U.S. Coast Guard tweeted, “Several agencies responded quickly and worked closely in order to save many lives today.”.
At the scene, the Coast Guard recorded a large group of Haitians wrapped in towels on the shore. No information was immediately available regarding how many people were taken to hospitals.
Border Patrol officials said a human trafficking investigation is ongoing and suspects human smuggling has taken place.
