U.S. Coast Guard crews rescued at least 40 individuals approximately 10 miles off Mona Island on Monday after a makeshift vessel capsized. Tragically, two people were found deceased, and rescue operations are ongoing.
The incident began when the crew of the Motor Vessel Tripiti reported to the Coast Guard Sector San Juan that they had rescued four individuals from the water. Survivors indicated there were around 60 people aboard the vessel when it overturned late Sunday night due to a violent altercation, during which several individuals were injured by a machete. This chaos prompted many to jump overboard and attempt to swim to safety at Mona Island, with no one wearing life jackets.
The Coast Guard has deployed several units to assist in the search and rescue efforts. These include Sector San Juan, Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle, Air Stations from Borinquen and Miami, as well as local and international partners, including the Puerto Rico Police, Customs and Border Protection, the Dominican Republic Air Force, and the PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Ranger Corps.
