Sheriff’s Office Middle Keys Capt. Don Hiller and his friends rescued three Cuban migrants who were clinging to a make-shift floatation device Saturday afternoon more than 40 miles off the coast of the Lower Keys.
“They were in bad shape, medically,” Capt. Hiller said. “They were dehydrated and had severe sun exposure. One man was semi-conscious. He was in very bad shape. One guy laid down on the deck and just started sobbing. With storms rolling in, our main goal was get them to shore quickly.”
Capt. Hiller said they had difficulty communicating, given the language barrier, however the men were able to intimate they were adrift for more than four days, perhaps more than five.
Capt. Hiller (who was off-duty at the time) said he took his 31-foot center console to the Dry Tortugas that day to do a bit of sightseeing with friends, some of whom were on another boat. They were going to spearfish on the way back. It was on the trip back, about 42 miles offshore, when Capt. Hiller saw a little dot on the horizon that didn’t look normal. Capt. Hiller positioned his boat to check it out, with his friend in the other boat following. That’s when they came upon the men. Capt. Hiller attempted to reach the Coast Guard, took the men aboard and began the fast voyage to shore.
Capt. Hiller decided to run the men directly to Coast Guard Station Key West while still 10 miles from shore given their medical condition.
Capt. Hiller delivered the men to waiting paramedics ashore. They were then taken to the Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island.
Two of the three men had been released from the hospital as of Monday.
The condition of the third man who remained there Monday was not immediately clear.
