Brief
40 People Rescued After Boat Capsizes West of Puerto Rico
A makeshift vessel carrying an estimated 60 people capsized near Mona Island, prompting a Coast Guard rescue that saved 40 survivors.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued at least 40 people after a boat capsized several miles from a tiny, uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico on Sunday night. Two people were found dead, and survivors reported an estimated 60 aboard, the agency said. Rescue operations continued into Monday evening, with survivors having spent more than 12 hours in the water before a passing boat spotted them around noon and called authorities. The capsized vessel had been involved in a fight that left people severely injured by a machete, leading the group to abandon the boat without life vests. The incident is part of a broader pattern of migrants from Hispaniola traveling to Puerto Rico on makeshift vessels that often capsize in the Mona Passage.
Key facts
- At least 40 people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Two people were found dead after the capsizing (winnipegfreepress.com)
- An estimated 60 people were aboard the vessel (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Survivors spent more than 12 hours in the water before rescue (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The boat capsized after a fight involving a machete (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “40 people rescued and several missing after boat capsizes in waters west of Puerto Rico”
