2 dead, 40 rescued and several missing after boat capsizes near Puerto Rico
The U.S. Coast Guard said that it rescued at least 40 people in open waters after a boat capsized near an uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico.
Two people were found dead, with boat crew members reporting an estimated 60 people aboard the boat before it capsized, according to the agency.
“The makeshift vessel reportedly capsized, Sunday, at about 11 p.m., after a fight broke out and people were severely injured by a machete, forcing people to jump into the water and attempt to swim to Mona Island. No one was wearing life jackets,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release on Monday.
Survivors spent more than 12 hours in the water before a boat passing near Mona Island spotted them on Monday around noon and called authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
It remains unclear where the boat originated from.
Units that are still searching for the missing people include Sector San Juan, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Dominican Republic Air Force, Puerto Rico Police, Joint Forces Rapid Action and more.
The incident comes a week after police in the Turks and Caicos Islands detained a makeshift boat carrying 60 Haitian migrants.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) announced on Sept. 22 that it “successfully intercepted an illegal migrant vessel carrying sixty (60) persons in Turks and Caicos Islands waters” in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment, Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) and United States Maritime Operations personnel.
“The vessel was detected during ongoing maritime surveillance and border security operations aimed at combating illegal migration and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” police said in a media release.
“Following the interception, all individuals onboard were safely brought ashore and are being processed in accordance with established immigration and law enforcement procedures,” police added.
“This successful interception demonstrates the value of strong partnerships and coordinated border security operations. The RTCIPF remains committed to working alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment, OPBAT and the U.S Maritime Operations, and our local partners to protect our borders, disrupt illegal migration activities, and ensure the safety and security of our communities,” said Acting Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams.
