| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Seventh District |
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| Press Release |
Date: Jul 13, 2004 Contact: LTjg Eric Willis LT Tony Russell 305.415.6683 |
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AGENCIES CONTINUE SEARCH FOR MISSING MIGRANTS One dead, 13 located, approximately 18 missing **Update** SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - ICE AMO(Immigration and Customs Enforcement Air and Marine Operations), Coast Guard and local law enforcement continue to search for approximately 18 people reported missing from a capsized migrant boat three miles northwest of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico. So far search efforts have resulted in the discovery of one body in the water this morning; the rescue of 12 migrants clinging to the overturned boat last night, and the location of one migrant, believed to be from this group, on Desecheo this morning. The massive search effort began last night when a patrolling ICE AMO 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 search so far has included two Coast Guard cutters, a Forces United for Rapid Action boat, two ICE AMO aircraft and two Coast Guard helicopters. Preliminary information from those rescued indicates the possibility of another 18 missing, from 32 migrants embarked on the vessel orginally. 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, 11 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. ### The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
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