Cayman Islands see more Cuban migrants arrive

Over the past few days, 60 migrants from Cuba have arrived in the territorial waters surrounding the Cayman Islands. While they wait for improved weather conditions, they have been allowed to anchor offshore or to dock.

The Ministry of Home affairs said that the largest group had been found on Monday at Colliers Beach. This group included 31 men and 7 women, however another man had chosen to disembark to be taken into custody.

On the Cayman Brac’s south side, near the Divi Tiara resort, another group of docked Cuban migrants (four women and nine men) were discovered.

On Sunday, a third group of migrants from Cuba floated into the harbour of George Town and had laid down their anchor.

Ministry officials said that Bruce Smith, acting Chief Immigration Officer, had allowed the Cuban migrants on the boats to stay and wait for calmer weather. Local rules state that the migrants must stay on their watercraft and if they try to come ashore, they will be arrested and repatriated back to Cuba.

Some 44 migrants were waiting to go back to Cuba whilst living in the Immigration Detention Centre at the same time the 60 new migrants were discovered.

Since the start of 2015, over 160 migrants from Cuba have been found in the local waters surrounding the Cayman Islands.