Dry Tortugas National Park, a group of islands west of Florida, will remain closed until further notice due to the increasing number of ships arriving from Cuba, US authorities announced Monday.
The remote area, known for the historic Fort Jefferson, lies 110 kilometers west of Key West, Florida’s southernmost city, and just over 100 kilometers north of Havana, the Cuban capital.
The park “will be temporarily closed to the public while police and medical personnel assess, treat, and coordinate the transportation to Key West of approximately 300 migrants who have arrived at the park in the past two days,” the service said Sunday. a declaration.
“Like other parts of the Florida Keys, the park has recently seen an increase in the number of people arriving by boat from Cuba and landing on the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park,” he added.
Cuba, facing its worst economic crisis since the 1990s, saw a record number of its residents flee to the United States in 2022, though most came to the country overland through Mexico.
several deaths
However, thousands of migrants make the risky boat trip to Florida, where many are intercepted by the US Coast Guard or detained by authorities upon disembarkation.
Dozens of people have died trying to cross the sea, including five in October when their boat collided with a ship operated by Cuban border guards.
Dry Tortugas National Park said that when migrants arrive, “first responders provide food, water and basic medical care until the Department of Homeland Security arrives and takes over operations.” The press release specifies that the park must be closed for several days.
Source: BFM TV
