OMM Redaksiyası
At least 40 people were rescued and two were found dead after a makeshift boat carrying an estimated 60 people capsized in waters west of Puerto Rico, according to NBC News.
The U.S. Coast Guard said search and rescue operations were continuing after the vessel overturned several miles from Mona Island. Survivors spent more than 12 hours in the water before a passing vessel spotted them near the uninhabited island around noon on Monday and alerted authorities.
Four people were rescued initially, while the Coast Guard later increased the number of survivors found to at least 40.
What caused the boat to capsize?
The Coast Guard said the boat overturned late Sunday after a fight broke out on board and several people were seriously injured with a machete. Those aboard then jumped into the water without life jackets.
Survivors told authorities that approximately 60 people had been on the boat, meaning several remained unaccounted for as the operation continued. The nationalities of those aboard were not immediately known, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.
Incident occurred along migrant route
The incident took place in the Mona Passage, a stretch of water between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic that is frequently used by migrants travelling from Hispaniola.
Migrants fleeing poverty and violence in Haiti and the Dominican Republic have made the crossing in makeshift vessels, some of which have capsized in rough waters, NBC News reported.
