Some of the two dozen Cuban migrants who reached a Florida Keys lighthouse will be sent to Guantanamo Bay while others are being repatriated to Cuba as the fisherman who discovered a message in a bottle written by the migrants is speaking out for the first time.
"The words that were written were 'please help me, S.O.S. 24 people onboard,'" Jason Harrelson said.
Harrelson described Friday the unusual discovery on the open waters. The fisherman from Tampa found the handwritten note where the migrants claim mistreatment while on a Coast Guard cutter where they were detained.
"I immediately contacted the Coast Guard, regardless of where you're from, you need help at that point, I would do it for anyone," he said.
Coast Guard officials said the letter was determined to be authentic and said they are planning on launching an internal investigation.
In another change of course, late Thursday the U.S. Attorney said they re-interviewed the so-called Lighthouse Cubans, and 20 of the 24 claim to have legitimate fears that they could face harm if they go back to Cuba. They've been sent to a camp in Guantanamo Bay where officials will now look for a third country to eventually sent them.
"We are very happy that the 20 people will be given the chance to remain in freedom," said Ramon Saul Sanchez, with Movimiento Democracia. "Of course we would have liked the 24 to do so but apparently the other four might not have said the key words, even though they probably have the same fears and they might be repatriated. I don't know if at this time they're already getting back to Cuba."
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Family members in Miami reacted to the latest update on the fate of their loved ones Friday.
"We're very happy because yesterday the government approved 20 of them to apply for political asylum so at least they're gonna have the right to live in freedom," said Fernando Alvarez, cousin of one of the migrants.
While a federal judge ruled the lighthouse was not dry land, there are still some legal uncertainties and family members are holding out hope.
"There is one thing that we are completely sure. We will keep fighting for all of them. It doesn't matter if he's in the group of the 20 or of the 4. We're gonna keep fighting," Alvarez said.
