The following is the text of a news release from the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Emergency Rescue System (AMVER):
(MIAMI) — The AMVER participating bulk carrier Barock notified U.S. Coast Guard officials in Miami, Fla., they had located a rustic chug in distress approximately 270 miles west of Naples, Fla., and rescued the seven Cuban migrants on Monday, April 20.
The 748-foot bulk carrier was on a journey from Texas to Germany when the crew located the disabled chug. "One of the migrants jumped overboard and tried to swim to our ship before making it make to his makeshift raft," Capt. Escalicas, the master of Barock, reported to rescue authorities. "We lowered a rescue boat and safely brought all seven on board our ship."
The Coast Guard instructed the Panamanian-flagged ship to rendezvous with the Coast Guard cutter Paul Clark. The migrants were transferred to the Coast Guard cutter and Barock continued on its voyage to Germany.
