July 02, 2008
Found at Sea
I wish I could say thirteen Cubans made it to the beach in Florida but that's not the story of how this latest boatload of refugees played out. Thirteen Cubans who had been at sea for a month were picked up by a Norwegian gas tanker in the Gulf of Mexico, having drifted off-course on their way to the US. Eleven men and two women were aboard the little row boat when they were spotted. The Captain picked them up and promptly called the US Coast Guard. Luckily someone saw these people, because surviving thirty days in a rowboat with twelve other people in the sun is amazing. But once they are on their feet, their death-defying journey will most likely have been for naught, because the Gulf of Mexico is not U.S. land, and their feet were most likely wet.
"Once on board, the refugees were given more food and clothing, and a chance to sleep. Many were crying and all were suffering exhaustion and exposure.The next morning they were transferred to the US vessel Knight Vessel and were in better spirits. "They had hope, they were alive," said Landsverk.
He called them "desperate people, who had a dream of getting to the US." They're there now, but it remained unclear whether they'd be allowed to stay."
When I hear stories like this, it makes me grateful to be American. These people survived on sheer determination to get to freedom. I'm just sorry they probably won't get to experience it.
Thanks George U.
Posted by Claudia4Libertad at July 2, 2008 08:53 AM
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Comments
WE HAVE TO GET RID OF THE WET FOOT/DRY FOOT POLICIY ONCE AND FOR ALL. THIS IS JUST HEARTBREAKING...
Posted by: KMendiola ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 2, 2008 09:33 AM
While we plan our cookouts and firework displays it is worth reflecting on this story as we celebrate July 4. Those of us born in the USA should be grateful everyday to have "dry feet" and spare a thought for our friends around the world who do not have that good fortune and desperately want it.
Posted by: RobCon at July 2, 2008 11:01 AM
Perhaps the readers of Babalublog can start a campaign to get the Norwegian government to grant asylum to this group of Cubans--how about it, my friends?
Posted by: ElenaM at July 2, 2008 12:22 PM
It is out of Norwegian hands since the rafters were already turned over to the American Coast Guard.
George
Posted by: therealcuba at July 2, 2008 03:10 PM
Have been reading on this blog about why more Cubans are willing to risk their life to leave their country, but risk their life to fight for it.
It's funny, people are being recruited to go and fight in someone else's country, but we won't recruit those leaving their country to go back and fight for theirs. NO. We pick them up and send them back empty-handed.
Posted by: LaConchita at July 2, 2008 03:23 PM
RE-POST correction...
Have been reading on this blog about why more Cubans are willing to risk their life to leave their country, but NOT risk their life to fight for it.
It's funny, people are being recruited to go and fight in someone else's country, but we won't recruit those leaving their country to go back and fight for theirs. NO. We pick them up and send them back empty-handed
Posted by: LaConchita at July 2, 2008 03:25 PM
Maybe the Norwegians can leave them in Tijuana.
Nelson
Posted by: nguirado at July 2, 2008 10:36 PM
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