The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday, that at least 31 people were rescued. May. 13, 2022. |
Photo: Twitter/@24Happenings
Published 13 May 2022
According to the U.S. Coast Guard's report on Thursday, 31 survivors had been rescued so far.
At least 11 people died off the west coast of Puerto Rico on Thursday after a boat with dozens of migrants on board capsized, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. Local sources, the vessel suspected of transporting migrants from the Dominican Republic overturned about 19 kilometers north of Puerto Rico's Desecheo Islet.
The U.S. coastal force detailed that 31 survivors had been rescued and that, in conjunction with Puerto Rican forces, a large rescue operation was being carried out in the area. Troops are also supporting this massive operation from the Maritime Units of the United Rapid Action Forces (FURA) of the municipalities of Aguadilla and Añasco.
The Puerto Rican Coast Guard received a report from a Customs and Border Protection plane that said it had seen a boat and people around it who did not appear to be wearing life jackets.
The region known as the Mona Channel, located between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, is a busy route for human smugglers and migrants, and almost weekly arrests of vessels occur, including Thursday; authorities had announced the deportation of 44 Dominicans intercepted in this area.
The few security measures and the disrespect of the navigation rules regarding the weight established for each vessel cause the numerous coastal incidents that also occur in this region.
Just three days ago, the Coast Guard reported the rescue of 68 people during a shipwreck and the recovery of the body of a deceased woman.
Published 13 May 2022
According to the U.S. Coast Guard's report on Thursday, 31 survivors had been rescued so far.
At least 11 people died off the west coast of Puerto Rico on Thursday after a boat with dozens of migrants on board capsized, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. Local sources, the vessel suspected of transporting migrants from the Dominican Republic overturned about 19 kilometers north of Puerto Rico's Desecheo Islet.
The U.S. coastal force detailed that 31 survivors had been rescued and that, in conjunction with Puerto Rican forces, a large rescue operation was being carried out in the area. Troops are also supporting this massive operation from the Maritime Units of the United Rapid Action Forces (FURA) of the municipalities of Aguadilla and Añasco.
The Puerto Rican Coast Guard received a report from a Customs and Border Protection plane that said it had seen a boat and people around it who did not appear to be wearing life jackets.
The region known as the Mona Channel, located between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, is a busy route for human smugglers and migrants, and almost weekly arrests of vessels occur, including Thursday; authorities had announced the deportation of 44 Dominicans intercepted in this area.
The few security measures and the disrespect of the navigation rules regarding the weight established for each vessel cause the numerous coastal incidents that also occur in this region.
Just three days ago, the Coast Guard reported the rescue of 68 people during a shipwreck and the recovery of the body of a deceased woman.
Customs and Border Protection and Puerto Rico Police respond to a capsized boat north of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico on May 12, 2022 AFP
Fri, May 13, 2022
The majority of migrants traveling in a boat that capsized off the coast of Puerto Rico were Haitians, authorities said Friday, adding that of the 11 dead, all were women.
A total of 38 survivors have been found and rescuers continue to search where the accident occurred, about 10 nautical miles (19 kilometers) north of Desecheo Island, an uninhabited US territory between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
The survivors were "36 Haitian and 2 Dominican Republic nationals, of which eight remain hospitalized," the US Coast Guard said on Twitter Friday.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry tweeted his condolences to the families of the dead, who he said were Haitians.
"The news of the sinking of a boat off the coast of Puerto Rico which caused the death of 11 of our compatriots deeply upsets me," he said.
Of the dead were all were women, and autopsies will be performed on them, according to the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute.
A Customs and Border Patrol helicopter first spotted the boat and people in the water who appeared not to be wearing life jackets around midday on Thursday.
Several days prior, a Haitian woman died in the area after her boat carrying 69 migrants capsized. The other passengers were rescued by the US Coast Guard and the Dominican Navy.
In March, hundreds of Haitian arrived by boat in Florida. And more than 100 were intercepted by the coast guard near the Bahamas.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is facing an acute political, economic and security crisis.
gma/bfm/bgs
No comments:
Post a Comment