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Hundreds of migrants make landing at Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas National Park closes after 300 migrants make 10 landings
Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas in 2015
Posted at 11:34 AM, Jan 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-02 11:47:08-05

KEY WEST, Fla. — A U.S. national park comprising a cluster of uninhabited islands in the Florida Keys was closed Monday after 300 migrants made 10 landings there over the weekend, officials said.

Dry Tortugas National Park, about 70 miles west of Key West, was closed so law enforcement and medical personnel could evaluate the migrants before moving them to Key West, the park tweeted.

"The closure, which is expected to last several days, is necessary for the safety of visitors and staff because of the resources and space needed to attend to the migrants," park officials said in their statement.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a tweet that at least 88 migrants were from Cuba.

The national park is at the southern tip of the continental U.S. and attracts scuba divers and snorkelers for its coral reefs, nesting sea turtles, tropical fish and shipwrecks.