Our World: Windsurf Escape: Cuba’s Migration Crisis

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Windsurf Escape: Cuba’s Migration Crisis

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BBC News - Our World, Windsurf Escape: Cuba’s Migration Crisis

The story of three Cubans who took extraordinary risks to reach the US.

Featuring never-before-seen footage and access to the US Coast Guard, this film traces the story of three Cubans who took extraordinary risks to reach the US.

The Florida Straits are home to an invisible border that divides two very different worlds. Under six decades of a trade embargo, Cubans have built a way of life largely cut off from the resources of their US neighbours, just 90km away. But in July 2021, the effects of the pandemic combined with an economic crisis and food shortages triggered mass protests across the island on an unprecedented scale. A few weeks later began what is reported to be the biggest exodus of Cubans since the 1959 Revolution.

Featuring never-before-seen footage, this dramatic film traces the story of three Cubans who took extraordinary risks to leave their country to reach the US. From a windsurf to an inflatable kayak, the film follows as they make the dangerous journey by any means possible. With access to the US Coast Guard, the film also captures a privileged insight into the authorities trying to protect US waters during this mass migration wave and prevent loss of life.

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