| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Seventh District |
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| Press Release |
Date: June,12 2004 Contact: LTjg Eric Willis |
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ICE LOCATES CAPSIZED MIGRANT BOAT IN MONA PASS Coast Guard rescues 12, searching for others **Initial Release** SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the Coast Guard are currently searching for approximately 20 missing migrants after rescuing 12 from their overturned migrant boat three miles northwest of Desecheo, Puerto Rico this evening. A patrolling ICE aircraft located the capsized vessel shortly after 8:00 p.m. The Coast Guard Greater Antilles Section was notified and diverted the Coast Guard Cutters Cushing and Venturous, who arrived on scene within about 35 minutes and immediately began recovering migrants found clinging to the boat's hull. The Coast Guard crews continue to search for survivors along with the ICE aircraft and a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter launched from Air Station Borinquen. Preliminary information from those rescued indicates the possibility of another 20 missing. The capsized boat, a 29-foot open fisherman with twin 150-hp outboard engines, fits the description of a boat stolen from Bahia Beach, Dominican Republic yesterday morning. Of those rescued so far, 10 were male and two female. CGC Cushing is a 110-foot Patrol Boat based in San Juan. CGC Venturous is a 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter based in St. Petersburg, Fla. ### Editor's note: An update on the situation will be provided in the morning. The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
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