Cuban Refugee Boat

El Mago

arrives from

Habana Cojimar, Cuba

about

3: 00 AM

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Key West, Florida

15 refugees

December 13, 2022

The following photos were taken from

10:00 AM to 1:15 PM

December 13, 2022

By 10:00 AM the refugees have surrendered to authorities

and been transported elsewhere.

The floating boat is slightly on the rocks 

and needs to be removed 

before natural actions sink the vessel.

Fish and Wildlife officers arrive and observe the scene,

The Coast Guard Cutter

USCGC Margaret Norvell WPC 1105

returns to Key West creating sizable waves.

Because the boat is still on the rocks and the tide has been going out,

the incoming waves from the Coast Guard Cutter rock the boat.

One of the waves washes over the side and begins a swamping process

where additional waves continue to swamp the boat.

The contents of the boat floats away from the sinking boat; thus, 

fuel and floating object spread out from the boat.

The boat continues to flood with fuel and objects floating away,

After a while Key West Police arrive on the scene.

There was not much that they could do; however, 

they realized that it would be a good idea to remove 

as much of the floating object as they could as

it presented a danger to boat traffic.  They went to start with they

objects that were furthest away and work their way

back to the boat. The furthest objects were about half a mile away.

An unknown man steals a toolbox from the boat.

The police work their way back to the boat,

having removed most of the debris from the water.

They then left the scene. 

The boat is gradually sinking as the tide keeps going out.

In coming waves continue to further sink the boat,