Coast Guard Suspends Search For Overdue Fisherman

SAN JUAN — The Coast Guard search for an overdue fisherman was suspended pending further developments Wednesday, following a five-day search and rescue operation in the Mona Passage.

Still missing is Wilson Negrón, who is the remaining of two fishermen reported overdue in this case. A Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk aircrew rescued Luis Eliel Guerra on Monday, after he was found by a Good Samaritan stranded on the coast of Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Wilson Negrón’s family and hope they find strength during this most difficult time,” said Capt. José Díaz, Sector San Juan commander. “I truly appreciate the efforts of all the Coast Guard and partner agency personnel who participated in this search and did their utmost to bring closure to this family.”

Image provided by the Coast Guard of Luis Eliel Guerra, who was rescued on Monday afternoon. (Submitted photo)

Coast Guard watch standers in Sector San Juan received a call Saturday evening from a 911 Emergency Service operator, who relayed a call from a man reporting the fishermen overdue. The reporting source notified the fishermen departed from Rincón at approximately 4 a.m. Saturday on a fishing trip aboard an Aquasport, center console, recreational fishing boat with one outboard engine. Guerra and Negrón were expected to return by noon, Saturday.

Since the search began Saturday, Coast Guard air and surface units conducted 24 searches covering approximately 5,805 square nautical miles within the Mona Passage, an area approximately 1.5 times the size of Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard assets involved in the search:

– Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez
– Coast Guard Cutter Richard Dixon
– MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters from Air Station Borinquen.
– HC-130J Super Hercules fixed-wing aircraft from Air Station Clearwater, Fla.
– HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft from Air Station Miami.

-Coast Guard Cutters Richard Dixon and Heriberto Hernandez are 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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