Survivors say their boat was rammed by Cuban coastguard

The survivors of a boat that sank off northern Cuba after a collision with a Cuban coast guard say their boat was hit by the Cuban coast guard.

The craft reportedly flipped over after the crash near Bahía Honda, about two hours from the capital of Havana.

Among the five known dead were a minor and three women, while about two dozen people were rescued.

The incident comes amid the biggest migratory flight from the Caribbean Island in four decades, spurred by a deepening economic, political, and energy crisis.

Meanwhile, the United States Coast Guard on Wednesday said the crew of its cutter Manowar transferred six nationals of The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cuba to The Bahamas earlier this week following a rescue near Lake Worth Inlet, Florida.

A Chinese was also among those rescued.

The US Coast Guard said Cutter Resolute’s crew alerted Sector Miami watchstanders of a suspected smuggling venture Sunday at about 12 miles east of Lake Worth Inlet.

Two people were taken into custody