SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard continues to closely monitor salvage efforts Monday to assess and repair the container-ship MSC Idil, approximately 70 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico.

The Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo is on scene with the MSC Idil ready to provide any needed rescue assistance, while monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the crew and the environment.

The crew of the MSC Idil continues to maintain the situation stabilized and is controlling the ship’s stability using onboard water pumps to manage flooding.

The vessel owner, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has hired commercial salvage company DonJon-Smit to conduct a salvage assessment of the vessel and effect repairs. Representatives from DonJon-Smit have been on board the vessel since Saturday afternoon to conduct their assessment.  Work will continue until a viable course of action to conduct temporary repairs is determined and effected. 

The 900-foot container ship suffered an explosion onboard late Friday afternoon, approximately 60 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico, during its transit to Barcelona, Spain.

The MSC Idil reported the explosion was most likely caused by welding that was taking place on board the vessel. The Idil also reported they have full control of their cargo and that they have not released any hazardous materials into the environment but are taking actions to mitigate any potential release. The MSC Idil is reported to have 588,000 gallons of fuel oil and 62,000 gallons of diesel on board.

Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo, a 110-foot patrol boat is homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Coast Guard rescue crews are responding to the distressed container-ship MSC Idil, after the 900-foot tank ship suffered an explosion onboard late Friday afternoon, approximately 60 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico (U.S. Coast Guard Photo taken at approximately 11;45 a.m. Saturday.)

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard has been responding since Friday to the distressed container ship MSC Idil with 25 people onboard, after the ship suffered a marine casualty following an explosion onboard approximately 60 nautical miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The crew of the 900-foot Panamanian flagged container ship is all accounted for and have suffered no injuries following the incident that caused the container ship to begin listing and take on water into a fuel tank and cargo compartment.

The crew of the MSC Idil has stabilized the situation and is controlling the ship’s stability using onboard water pumps to manage flooding.

The MSC Idil reported the explosion was most likely caused by welding that was taking place on board the vessel. The Idil also reported they have full control of their cargo and that they have not released any hazardous materials into the environment but are taking actions to mitigate any potential release. The MSC Idil is reported to have 588,000 gallons of fuel oil and 62,000 gallons of diesel on board.

Coast Guard Wathstanders in Sector San Juan were notified of the emergency at approximately 3:42p.m. Friday through Digital Selective Calling followed by Mayday VHF radio transmissions received from the ship.

The Coast Guard launched an immediate response sending a 45-foot Response Boat Medium from San Juan and MH-65 helicopters from Boriquen to assess the situation. The responding Coast Guard Search and Rescue units determined no immediate threat was present and were replaced Friday night by the Coast Guard Cutter’s Matinicus and Sapelo, who remain on scene with the MSC Idil ready to provide rescue assistance while monitoring the situation.

In addition, a Customs and Border Patrol maritime patrol aircraft responded to the incident and conducted an aerial assessment Friday night reporting no signs of pollution, while the crew of a Coast Guard Ocean Sentry aircraft from Miami conducted an overflight Saturday morning and also did not detect any signs of pollution.

The Coast Guard is constantly monitoring the condition of the MSC Idil to ensure the safety of the crew and the environment. A commercial salvage team is being transported to the MSC Idil to completely assess the condition of the vessel and determine the best course of action to repair the damage. In addition, pollution response teams are on alert should they be needed.

Coast Guard Cutter’s Sapelo and Matinicus are 110-foot patrol boats homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus repatriated six Dominicans and one Haitian a to La Romana, Dominican Republic Saturday, following an at-sea interdiction Friday by Caribbean Border Interagency Group law enforcement authorities, approximately two nautical miles off the coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Puerto Rico agreed to prosecute seven other Dominicans, who were also traveling aboard the migrant vessel, on charges of illegal entry into a United States Territory.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders were contacted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB) agents Friday morning, who reported that the crew of a CBP maritime patrol aircraft had located a migrant vessel transiting from the Dominican Republic towards the west coast of Puerto Rico.

The crew of Customs and Border Protection and Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action (FURA) marine units responded, interdicted the migrant vessel and embarked the migrants from the makeshift wooden yola (boat).

The migrants were transferred shortly thereafter to the Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus for biometrics processing to determine they had any previous criminal or illegal immigration history in the United States or a U.S. Territory.

The Matinicus afterwards rendezvoused with CBP Border Patrol agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico Friday afternoon, where Border Patrol agents came onboard, interviewed the undocumented migrants and took six Dominican men and a Dominican woman into custody for criminal prosecution.

The Matinicus proceeded to transit to La Romana, Dominican Republic, where they transferred custody of the six remaining Dominicans and one Haitian to awaiting Dominican Republic Navy authorities ashore Saturday morning.

Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant smuggling.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) law enforcement authorities, working in support of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF), arrested six Dominican smugglers, seizing a boat and a drug shipment of approximately 322 pounds of cocaine and 19 pounds of heroin during a maritime interdiction Thursday evening off the northern coast of Dorado, Puerto Rico.

The drug shipment was estimated to have a street value of over $3.2 million dollars.

“The outstanding efforts and collaboration between the federal and state law enforcement air and maritime crews are responsible for the successful interdiction, arrest and seizure of contraband in this case,” said Capt. Marc Stegman, Sector San Juan acting commander.  “Federal and state law enforcement authorities are fully committed to ongoing interagency efforts to prevent illegal drug shipments from reaching our shores and bringing those responsible to justice.”

The crew of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) marine patrol aircraft detected six men aboard a suspicious 21-foot-blue and white yola (boat), approximately 17 nautical miles from the coast of Dorado, Puerto Rico Thursday evening.

The crew of the CBP marine patrol aircraft vectored in a Coast Guard Station San Juan 33-foot Special Purpose Craft - Law Enforcement (SPC-LE), a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit and a CBP UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to interdict the suspect vessel.

The crew of the CBP marine patrol aircraft observed the men onboard the suspect vessel jettison suspicious objects overboard after they noticed the presence of law enforcement authorities in the area.

The crew of the Coast Guard response boat arrived on scene, interdicted the suspect vessel and detained the six men onboard, approximately four nautical miles from the coast of Dorado.  Meanwhile, the crew of the Puerto Rico Police marine unit was able to recover six bales from the water that had been thrown overboard from the suspect vessel.  A further inspection of the recovered bales and a field test conducted by law enforcement authorities on the contents of the shipment revealed 131 packages of cocaine and eight packages of heroin.

The crew of a Coast Guard 33-foot SPC-LE rendezvoused with the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing and embarked the suspected smugglers to run a biometrics background check and verify if any of them had a previous criminal or illegal immigration history with the U.S. government.   The crew of the Coast Guard 33-foot SPC-LE proceeded to tow the seized vessel to Coast Guard Base San Juan.

The crew of a Coast Guard 45-foot response boat medium rendezvoused with the Cushing Friday morning, embarked the suspected smugglers and transported them to Coast Guard Base San Juan, where they turned custody of the six Dominicans to awaiting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling

The Caribbean Corridor Strike Force is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area HIDTA initiative that investigates South American-based drug trafficking organizations responsible for the movement of multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics utilizing the Caribbean as a transshipment point for further distribution to the United States. CCSF members are the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, ICE-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration DEA, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Puerto Rico Police.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Caribbean Border Interagency Group aircrews rescued 11 Cuban migrants stranded on Monito Island, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, while Coast Guard rescue crews continue searching for possible survivors of an overturned boat.

The nine men and two women were allegedly smuggled into Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic aboard an unidentified boat. They were located by the crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter on patrol in the Mona Passage.

Prior to the migrants being located by the Coast Guard crew, the crew of a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action aircraft also located an unoccupied overturned 14-foot boat, approximately one-and-a-half nautical miles west of Mona Island: however, it has not been confirmed as to whether this boat was the one utilized to smuggle the Cuban migrants to Monito Island.

"The smugglers seriously endangered the lives of the migrants by making them climb the sharp rocks of Monito Island in terrible weather conditions,” said Capt. Marc Stegman, Sector San Juan acting commander.  "Our primary concern is for the safety of these migrants who are putting their lives at extreme risk."

Coast Guard watchstanders in the Sector San Juan command Center launched MH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen to rescue the stranded Cubans from the uninhabited Monito Island.

The crew of the a Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene and confirmed that there were nine men and two women on Monito Island waving their hands over their heads requesting assistance. The helicopter aircrew initially hoisted two migrants and transported them to Air Station Borinquen in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard aircrew returned to Monito Island and hoisted three other migrants and transported them to Air Station Borinquen.

The crew of a second Coast Guard helicopter hoisted the remaining six migrants and transported them to Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Once on Mona Island, the six migrants boarded a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Blackhawk helicopter and were transported to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air Marine Branch in Aguadilla. All 11 migrants were transferred to Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents Wednesday.

CBP Border Patrol agents interviewed the Cuban migrants and served a notice to appear before a U.S. Immigration Judge for further proceedings under the Cuban Adjustement Act of 1966 and its 1995 ammendment.

Monito Island is two-and-a-half nautical miles northwest of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. It is inaccessible by sea and is a subdivision of the municipality of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant smuggling.

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard rescue crews rescued a man adrift for three days aboard a capsized catamaran Monday, approximately five nautical miles off the northern coast of Loiza, Puerto Rico.

The rescued man reportedly was transiting Friday from Culebra Island to Fajardo, Puerto Rico, when his catamaran capsized shortly after departing Culebra Island.

Watchstanders at the Sector San Juan command center in Puerto Rico received notification at 12:30 a.m. Monday from the cruise ship Carnival Victory, that a passenger reported seeing a man on top of a capsized vessel screaming for help and waving a pole signal.

Coast Guard Watchstanders were notified by the crew of the Carnival Victory of the time and position of the sighting following confirmation that the ship’s camera system detected the boater in distress.

Coast Guard Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a Boat Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat Medium to search for the distressed boater.

The crew of the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrived on scene, located the boater and vectored in the crew of the Coast Guard response boat to his position. The Coast Guard boat crew rescued the boater and transferred him to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel at Coast Guard Base San Juan. The boater was transported to a local medical facility in Santurce, Puerto Rico to receive further medical care for possible dehydration and exposure to the elements.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A Coast Guard rescue swimmer pulls one of four Cuban migrants to the safety of the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing small boat Thursday in Monito Island, Puerto Rico.  (U.S. Coast Guard photo).

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Dominican Republic navy crews interdicted two Dominican suspected smugglers, rescued four Cubans and recovered 11 other Cuban survivors and one deceased Cuban from Mona Island and Monito Island, Puerto Rico, following a maritime pursuit of a migrant-smuggling vessel Thursday in the Mona Passage.

"These smugglers showed their ruthlessness and a complete disregard towards the lives, well being and safety of the people they were transporting illegally to Puerto Rico," said Capt. Drew Pearson, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “The excellent coordination and response between Caribbean Border Interagency Group partner agencies and the Dominican Republic navy resulted in four lives being saved and the successful interdiction of the smugglers.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Puerto Rico is seeking the extradition of the two smugglers from the Dominican Republic, who are currently in the custody of Dominican Republic authorities.

The crew of a CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Branch maritime surveillance aircraft detected a 25-foot migrant yola (boat) Thursday morning transiting from the Dominican Republic towards Monito and Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

Upon noticing the presence of law enforcement authorities in the area, the smugglers proceeded to cover the migrant vessel with a blue tarp in an attempt to avoid detection and continued to transit towards Monito Island, where several Cubans jumped into the water and were trapped below the island’s cliff waterline unable to reach safety.

The migrant vessel proceeded to transit rapidly towards Mona Island, where the remaining migrants jumped into the water and began swimming towards shore. Immediately thereafter, the suspected smugglers proceeded to flee the scene and head back towards the Dominican Republic with the CBP surveillance aircraft in aerial pursuit.

Meanwhile, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing arrived to Monito Island, deployed their response boat and combined efforts with the crew of a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to rescue the four migrants from the cliffside. The helicopter’s rescue swimmer was able to reach the four endangered migrants and pull them to safety, one at a time. The crew of the rescue helicopter hoisted one of the survivors onboard, who required immediate medical attention, and transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The crew of the Cushing embarked the three other survivors from the cutter’s small boat.

The crew of the CBP surveillance aircraft continued to maintain visual contact with the fleeing vessel, and requested Coast Guard assistance in contacting Dominican Republic authorities to advise them that the suspect vessel was entering Dominican Republic waters.

Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan coordinated with Dominican Republic navy authorities, who responded by diverting the maritime interceptor Barracuda. The crew of the Barracuda arrived on scene, interdicted the suspect vessel and apprehended the two smugglers, who were transferred to awaiting authorities in the Dominican Republic.

The crew of a Customs and Border Protection Blackhawk helicopter flew two sorties Thursday to recover the 11 survivors and one deceased Cuban migrant from Mona Island, and transported them the main island of Puerto Rico. The Cushing transported the three other survivors to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where they were turned over to awaiting Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents.

The Cushing is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office (USAO) for the District of Puerto Rico, the USAO for the District of the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) law enforcement crews, as members of the Caribbean Border Interagency Group, in conjunction with Dominican Republic’s Navy and Air Force authorities recovered a 350-pound- cocaine shipment, 168 bricks, from the water following a maritime pursuit of a drug-smuggling vessel Saturday in the Mona Passage.

The crew of a CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Branch surveillance dash-8 aircraft detected two men aboard a 20-foot yola (boat) Saturday morning transiting towards the Dominican Republic, approximately nine nautical miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

"This case showcases the close and effective coordination between U.S. federal law enforcement agencies and Dominican Republic authorities in preventing yet another drug shipment from reaching the streets," said Capt. Marc Stegman, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan acting commander.

Upon noticing they had been detected by law enforcement authorities, the crew of the suspect vessel immediately proceeded to throw their cargo overboard.

CBP's Caribbean Air and Marine Branch requested Coast Guard assistance in contacting Dominican Republic authorities to advise them that the suspect vessel was entering Dominican Republic waters.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders proceeded to coordinate with Dominican Republic authorities and divert the Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague to provide assistance.

The Dominican Republic Air Force responded by launching a Tucano aircraft and taking over the aerial pursuit of the suspect vessel into Dominican Republic territorial waters, while the Dominican Republic Navy vessel Benevola also responded to the scene.

The crew of the Chincoteague arrived on scene and was vectored in by the crew of the CBP aircraft to the position of the jettisoned cargo. The crew of the Chincoteague launched their small boat and recovered 7 bales from the water, each containing 24 bricks of contraband and weighing approximately 50 pounds. Field tests conducted at the scene revealed the contraband to be cocaine.

The crew of the Chincoteague transferred all seven bales of cocaine to the crew of the Benevola.

The Chincoteague is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague repatriated 21 Dominicans and one Haitian to the Dominican Republic Saturday, following an at-sea migrant interdiction Thursday by Caribbean Border Interagency Group law enforcement authorities, approximately 13 nautical miles off the coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

The crew of the Chincoteague transferred custody of the 22 migrants to the crew of the Dominican Republic navy patrol boat Orion at 8 a.m. Saturday, during an at-sea transfer in Dominican Republic territorial seas.

“Migrants risk their lives by trusting ruthless and unscrupulous smugglers with their well being during a very dangerous and perilous voyage,” said Capt. Drew W. Pearson, Sector San Juan commander.  “They travel aboard unseaworthy vessels that are in serious danger of capsizing, which could cost the lives of the migrants onboard.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Puerto Rico agreed to prosecute nine other Dominicans of which six are to face charges for illegal entry and three others for illegal reentry into a United States Territory.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders received a radio transmission Thursday night from the crew of a Customs and Border Protection dash-8 aircraft, reporting they had located a migrant vessel transiting towards Cabo Rojo.

Coast Guard Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague to interdict the migrant vessel, while Customs and Border Protection and Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action (FURA) marine units also responded. The crew of the Puerto Rico Police marine unit arrived on scene and interdicted the 27-foot migrant vessel with 31 people onboard; 27 men and four women.

The Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague arrived on scene shortly thereafter, embarked the migrants and collected their biographical information, including their digital fingerprints and facial photographs, to determine if they had any criminal or illegal immigration history in the United States or a U.S. Territory.

The Chincoteague rendezvoused with CBP Border Patrol agents in Añasco, Puerto Rico Friday afternoon, where Border Patrol agents took the nine Dominican men into custody.

The Chincoteague proceeded to transit to Dominican Republic territorial seas, where they rendezvoused with the Dominican navy patrol boat Orion and completed the repatriation of the remaining 22 migrants.

Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 2006, CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Office of Border Patrol – Ramey Sector, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid action (FURA) in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant smuggling.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard pollution investigators responded Tuesday to a report of an oil discharge at the active construction site between Piers 6 and 7 in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Pollution investigators are actively monitoring cleanup and recovery efforts and investigating to find the origin and amount of the discharge.

Construction site personnel are conducting efforts to locate the unidentified underground point of discharge to shut down the source and prevent further oil from spilling into the water, and they have activated two Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSRO) to conduct cleanup and recovery operations.

OSRO contractors have deployed oil containment boom into the water across Piers 6 and 7 and have also placed containment boom in the immediate area of the discharge to avoid further spread of the material. They are also utilizing oil recovery equipment such as absorbent boom, absorbent pads and vacuum truck oil collectors to recover spilled material from the water.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan command center watchstanders were initially contacted by a National Response Center representative at approximately 3p.m. Tuesday, who reported that an unknown amount and type of oil was discharging from and unknown source at the construction site into San Juan Harbor.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders and pollution response personnel proceeded to contact federal, state and municipal emergency response authorities, to include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, and San Juan Municipal Office of Emergency Management among others to advise them of the situation.