CAY SAL BANK, BAHAMAS (WPEC) — Thirty-seven Cuban migrants were rescued by the Coast Guard in the Bahamas after they were stranded and in need of help.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said there were a total of two separate rescues -- one on Jan. 9 and the other on Jan. 10. USCG said its aircrew noticed a group of people waving their arms in distress on Cay Sal Bank. The second rescue mission occurred when aircrews saw a group of migrants stranded on Anguilla Cay.

Crews were able to drop food, water, and a radio to establish communications with the groups while they awaited rescue.

Bahamian authorities requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard to rescue the migrants from both uninhabited islands. A USCG boat crew was dispatched and brought the migrants aboard, due to safety of life at sea concerns.

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Once the migrants were aboard the USCG boat, they were given food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation to their country of origin or return to the country from which they departed, according to the USCG.

“The Coast Guard and our Task Force partners diligently patrol the Florida Straits, Windward Passage and the Mona Passage to save lives by rescuing migrants from unsafe environments, deterring dangerous attempts to enter the U.S. illegally by sea and preventing human smuggling activity,” said Lt. Connor Pascale, Coast Guard liaison officer to The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. “These irregular, unlawful voyages in unseaworthy vessels are extremely dangerous and put migrants’ lives at risk.”

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