SAN JUAN — The U.S. Coast Guard said today that four people have been rescued and it is searching for six more who were on a boat that capsized west of Puerto Rico.
The Coast Guard said the boat capsized on Sunday in unclear circumstances while near Desecheo Island in the Mona Passage.
It said a ferry en route to the Dominican Republic reported spotting multiple people in the water and rescued two of them on Monday.
Two more were picked up today by a recreational vessel. The agency said the survivors were reportedly not wearing life jackets when rescued and showed signs of dehydration and sunburn.
Survivors reported there were ten people aboard when their vessel capsized Sunday. The circumstances of the capsizing are still being investigated.
Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a report from the ferry Kydon at 11:05 p.m. Monday reporting they had a visual of multiple persons in the water, approximately eight nautical miles west of Desecheo Island.
The Kydon was leaving from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic at the time of the sighting. Shortly thereafter, watchstanders received a second report from the ferry informing the Kydon’s crew recovered two survivors from the water.
Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier (WPC-1115) that arrived on scene and embarked the two survivors from the Kydon. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter also launched to search and find signs of additional survivors, while Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine units also responded.
At 7:54 a.m., Tuesday, Sector San Juan watchstanders received a communication from a Good Samaritan aboard the recreational vessel Kiara reporting having recovered two additional persons from the water. The cutter Joseph Napier rendezvoused with the Kiara and embarked the two survivors.
The survivors reportedly were not be wearing life jackets when rescued and they were showing signs of dehydration and sunburn.
Coast Guard assets involved in the search are:
- Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier (WPC-1115)
- Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen
- An HC-130 aircraft from Air Station Clearwater, Fla. is expected to join search efforts during the day.