A Dania Beach charter captain discovered a large well equipped 17′ Cuban raft filled with provisions and equipped with a 4 cylinder Russian diesel engine off of Eliot Key on Wednesday, May16th, 2012.
Captain Bob Hamilton, on board the Miami Mermaid, owner of Trawler School Charters, a boat handling Trawler school based in Dania Beach, FL,
Cuban raft adrift off Elliot Key, found by Capt. Robert Hamilton.
was not sure whether anyone was still on board the obviously homemade craft when he first encountered it at a distance. Hamilton believes that at least 11 people used the raft to sail to Florida. According to Hamilton, there were 8 adult sized oars, 2 child sized oars and a baby basket on the craft. There was also canned food and 15 gallons of diesel fuel, 10 gallons of water, hypodermic needle’s and a IV bag on board. The location was reported to the USCG and pictures of the raft were e-mailed. “The passenger on board obviously planned well for their voyage” and either unloaded on a Fl Key Island or picked up by another boat for hopefully a safe arrival for all on board, said Hamilton.
Capt. Bob Hamilton of Dania Beach, FL finds Cuban raft adrift off of Elliot Key, FL.