‘Please don’t take to the sea’: US Coast Guard to Cuban Americans

Warning comes after Cuban Americans say they will take aid to Cuba in boats in support of Cuban protesters.

The United States Coast Guard in Miami says it is monitoring any activity aimed at increasing “unsafe and illegal” crossings between Florida and Cuba in response to rare street protests on the island. Rear Admiral Eric C. Jones issued a warning on Monday night as groups of Cubans in the US said they planned to travel in boats filled with supplies to Cuba to show support for the Cuban protesters. South Florida has the country’s largest population of Cuban Americans. “Please don’t take to the sea,” Jones said in a statement. “The Coast Guard along with our local, state and federal partners are monitoring any activity” that could be unsafe in the Florida straits “including unpermitted vessel departures from Florida to Cuba”.