An improvised vessel carrying approximately 60 individuals capsized near Mona Island, Puerto Rico, resulting in two confirmed fatalities and 40 people being rescued. As of Monday, authorities continued their search for additional missing persons.
The incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, approximately 10 miles from Mona Island, as reported by the United States Coast Guard.
Survivors recounted that a violent altercation erupted onboard prior to the capsizing, with several individuals sustaining severe injuries from a machete. In the chaos, some passengers jumped into the water, attempting to swim to Mona Island.
According to the Coast Guard, none of those on the vessel were wearing life jackets.
The emergency became known around midday on Monday when the crew of the vessel Tripiti alerted the San Juan Sector of the Coast Guard after rescuing four people from the water.
Upon being rescued, survivors indicated that around 60 people had been on the boat that capsized the previous night.
Following this alert, a large-scale operation was launched, successfully rescuing at least 40 individuals and recovering two bodies.
Participating in the search efforts were the coast guard cutter Joseph Doyle, Coast Guard aircraft from Borinquen and Miami, the Puerto Rico Police, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, the Dominican Republic Air Force, and personnel from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.
At the time of the last update, the search was ongoing, indicating that more individuals could still be missing at sea.
The authorities have not disclosed the nationalities of those aboard the vessel.
The Mona Passage, which separates Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic, is frequently used for irregular migratory journeys to U.S. territory and is notorious for its challenging navigational conditions.
The Coast Guard maintains constant operations in this region. Earlier in September, the Joseph Doyle repatriated 51 migrants to the Dominican Republic after intercepting another vessel near Puerto Rico.
In August, an additional 16 Dominican migrants were returned after being intercepted on an overloaded boat.
These operations are part of Vigilant Sentry, an interagency U.S. initiative aimed at addressing, among other goals, irregular maritime migration in the Caribbean.
Key Questions about Recent Maritime Incident Near Puerto Rico
What caused the violent altercation on the boat near Puerto Rico?
Survivors reported a fight broke out onboard, involving a machete, which led to severe injuries for several individuals.
How many people were onboard the boat that capsized near Mona Island?
Approximately 60 people were reported to be onboard the vessel according to survivors' accounts.
What are the ongoing efforts to find missing persons after the boat capsized?
Search operations involve multiple agencies including the Coast Guard, Puerto Rico Police, and the Dominican Republic Air Force, among others, to locate any remaining missing individuals.