The Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday at 3 p.m. for two missing Cuban migrants in the vicinity of Caesar Creek, Florida, to Haulover Inlet, Florida.
"Our Coast Guard men and women worked tirelessly looking for the two missing Cuban migrants; however, despite our best efforts we have been unable to locate them, and have decided to suspended the search," said Capt. Austin Gould, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami. "This illegal migrant venture demonstrates just how dangerous taking to the sea in unseaworthy vessels can be. We were fortunate more lives were not lost in this incident."
In total, 11 lives were saved by Coast Guard and partner agency rescue crews. Search and rescue crews completed 27 search patterns covering approximately 3,145 square miles over a 55 hour period.
Crews involved in the search included:
Coast Guard Cutter Robert Yered is a 154-foot fast response cutter, homeported in Miami.
Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft.
Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter.
Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Coast Guard Cutter Shrike, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida.
Coast Guard Station Miami Beach.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boat crews.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Helicopter.
Miami-Dade Police.
Biscayne National Park Marine Unit.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Caribbean Air and Marine Branch.