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Dozens of migrants arrive in Jupiter, run ashore

'Literally looking like they were running for their lives with no direction,' witness says
Migrants run ashore on beach in Jupiter, Dec. 12, 2021
Dozens of migrants scurried ashore from a boat that arrived in Jupiter Sunday.
Posted at 6:23 PM, Dec 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-13 23:34:43-05

JUPITER, Fla. — A boat filled with dozens of migrants arrived Sunday in Jupiter.

Beachgoers said they were surprised to see this kind of boat end up on the beach during the middle of the day.

Cellphone video shows a boat full of migrants arriving along the beach in Jupiter Sunday afternoon.

In the video, some migrants were jumping off the boat while others helped them off the boat.

Migrants run ashore on beach in Jupiter, Dec. 12, 2021
Dozens of migrants scurry onto the beach from a boat that arrived Dec. 12, 2021, in Jupiter, Fla.

Patrick Bradley said he saw a group of what he believed to be Haitians running off the boat.
"The captain put a mask on, got his phone out and called someone and then fled the scene," said Bradley.

"Kids, adults, guys in their underwear fleeing, dropping all their clothes and running towards the street," said Caitlin Kinirons.

Dozens of migrants scurried ashore from a boat that arrived in Jupiter Sunday.
Dozens of migrants came ashore from this boat Dec. 12, 2021, in Jupiter, Fla.

Border Patrol and Jupiter police responded to the scene and tried to locate the migrants.

Madeline Comorat was among the dozens of people who were enjoying a day at the beach when they saw the boat arrive.

"We were talking to this lady and we just saw individual people just running down the beach, I'd say like 40 of them almost, and we can see all these people and they keep running," said Comorat.

"Saw them running towards the beach, running towards the street, running into the bushes, literally looking like they were running for their lives with no direction," said Kinirons.

Some migrants left behind articles of clothing as they ran from the boat into Jupiter.
Some migrants left behind articles of clothing as they ran from the boat into Jupiter.

U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Adam Hoffner said 23 migrants were arrested.

Hoffner said the boat involved was seized by federal authorities. He added the migrants will be interviewed and processed for removal proceedings.