Six Cuban men were found stranded Monday morning after their boat came ashore miles from Cameron County Beach Access 6, authorities said. Cameron County Parks Chief Horacio Zamora said the six men, ages 28-65, told authorities they are from Nueva Gerona, Cuba, a small Cuban island. They began their journey to Mexico 21 days ago on a 14-foot boat.
Two days into the trip, the motor broke down, so they tossed it overboard and tried to sail with a small shower curtain, but drifted as they faced storms in the Gulf of Mexico, the men told authorities.
The men washed up 9.7 miles north of Cameron County Beach Access 6, and believe they arrived sometime around 3 a.m. Monday, Zamora said. He said the men indicated they started walking north to find help before a beachgoer found the boat, and then the men. The beachgoer then drove the men to the Cameron County Park Ranger office and called authorities at 9:36 a.m. Zamora said the men were offered assistance before Border Patrol agents were called.
Zamora said one of the men required medical attention. He added that the group had not had anything to eat or drink in days.The Park Ranger Department took custody of the boat, and the men were released to the Border Patrol, he said.
