A search and rescue operation is underway off the coast of Puerto Rico as the US Coast Guard tries to locate passengers from a capsized migrant vessel.
The incident occurred on Wednesday just 300 yards from Camuy’s shoreline on Puerto Rico’s northwestern Atlantic coast.
Survivors and casualties
The USCG reported that it rescued 30 survivors, but recovered two bodies.
Survivors estimate that the vessel was carrying between 30 to 50 passengers, as reported by the USCG.
The Coast Guard did not state where the migrants departed from, but many attempting to reach Puerto Rico by sea are from Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Previous incidents
Between October 1, 2023, and January 12, 2024, the US Coast Guard apprehended 745 Dominicans and 66 Haitians in the Mona Passage and nearby waters.
The Mona Passage
Migrants often brave the treacherous Mona Passage, a narrow stretch of water separating Hispaniola from Puerto Rico, in pursuit of a better life.
