Cuban migrants make landfall on Haulover Beach
MIAMI - More than a dozen Cuban migrants made landfall Monday morning at Haulover Beach.
"I was walking as I always do in the morning trying to see the sunrise," said Alex Brocks.
He said it was like any other Monday morning walk until it wasn't
"Suddenly I spotted something, like a little boat coming in, but I wasn't paying much attention until I saw Miami-Dade police cars arrive at the scene," he said. "At that point, I approached, and as I got closer and I saw that they were migrants coming in."
The migrants were in a rickety boat that made the voyage from Cuba.
"One of those Miami-Dade (police) speed boats arrived and they kind of escorted them to safety. They arrived on shore and then I saw one by one they came out. They were all crying and happy they made it on shore," said Brocks.
U.S. Border Patrol agents to the 13 men and two women into custody. No injuries were reported.
"They were crying and emotional. It was a very good experience for them," said Maikel Cervantes who saw them arrive.
Huddled together on the beach, shedding tears of joy. It was a Herculean effort to make the journey, just oars and manpower. The trip took more than a week.
"That's what they said. They were 10 days on the water, three 3 days without food, risking their lives just for freedom. That's something I don't think we comprehend," said Brocks.
Miami-Dade police collected a few backpacks with the migrants' only worldly possessions. They said the boat, which had a few holes in the hull, had been taking on water.
"It's insane," said Brocks. "I mean what you do just for freedom, just to get to a country to have some kind of freedom that they don't have."
All of the migrants will likely be repatriated to Cuba.
This was the third migrant landing in the last 24 hours.
On Sunday, more than 40 migrants were taken into custody after two landings in the Keys.
Border Patrol agents said about half of the migrants landed in the Dry Tortugas, the rest were picked up after they reached Islamorada.