Federal authorities apprehended seven migrants who came ashore on a motorboat at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Monday, Key Biscayne police said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said three migrants had been taken into custody and released a photo of a twin-engine boat with a Bimini top that was used to bring them ashore.
Miami-Dade County Police assisted in the search with a helicopter that helped authorities discover four additional migrants, said Key Biscayne Deputy Police Chief Jason Younes.
“We did patrol our waterways and also the beach on ATVs and we didn’t locate anyone,” Younes said. “Just to make sure that we were safe or that there wasn’t anyone lingering around.”
Fire Chief Eric Lang said that the Village did send a response team but treatment or transport was not necessary.
Migrant interceptions remain somewhat steady for the Key Biscayne area.
Ten Cuban migrants were taken into custody in October when they came ashore at Bill Baggs. In April, 13 migrants from five different countries were apprehended near the Bear Cut Bridge. And in January, more than 60 Haitian migrants were discovered on a sailboat off Virginia Key.
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JOHN PACENTI is the executive editor of the Key Biscayne Independent. John has worked for The Associated Press, the Palm Beach Post, Daily Business Review, and WPTV-TV.