The United States National Park Service (NPS) has closed the Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida on Monday, after approximately 300 migrants arrived over the weekend.
“On January 2 at 8:00 a.m. (local time), the Dry Tortugas National Park will temporarily close public access while Police and medical personnel assess, provide care, and coordinate transportation (…) for approximately 300 migrants who have arrived during the last few days,” reads a statement from NPS.
The authorities have warned that said closure is expected to last several days, indicating that it is “necessary for the safety of visitors and staff due to the resources and space to care for migrants.”
“As in other parts of the Florida Keys, the park has recently seen an increase in people arriving by boat from Cuba and landing on the islands of the Dry Tortugas National Park,” explains the agency, which reports that agents Relief workers provide food, water, and basic medical care until the arrival of the Department of Homeland Security.
The aforementioned national park is located on the island of Key West (Key West, in English), which is part of the Florida Keys archipelago, and which is 140 kilometers from Cuba.
