Authorities took 113 Haitian migrants into custody after they jumped off a vessel making landfall near Key Largo Saturday. 200 stayed on board.
According to officials, none of the migrants were seriously hurt and it could have ended a lot worse. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Division Chief Adam Hoffner said the dangerous voyage was likely organized by smugglers.
"We conducted a medical screening of all of the migrants, most had some mild effects from dehydration. Four of them were taken to a local hospital and were treated for dehydration. We did identify two suspected smugglers possibly associated with this event," Hoffner said. "The smugglers have no regard for the migrants or their lives. The more migrants they put on board their boat, the more money they make," Hoffner said.The United States Border Patrol Miami sector is investigating with Homeland Security to identify the smugglers who crammed the migrants onto the vessel.
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