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.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews completed a request for assistance Sunday afternoon to search for possible survivors from a capsized migrant boat in Samana Bay, Dominican Republic, after Dominican Republic authorities notified no longer requiring Coast Guard assistance with rescue efforts.

The boat (yola) capsized Saturday morning in the vicinity of Samana Bay off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, reportedly carrying more than 40 passengers onboard.

According to reports from Dominican Republic authorities, 18 people are confirmed dead, there are at least 11 survivors and an undetermined number of people missing.

“Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the men and women who lost their lives to the perils of the sea,” said Capt. Drew Pearson, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “Migrants are risking their lives when they trust ruthless smugglers to make the dangerous voyage across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico in makeshift-grossly overloaded boats, without any consideration to weather conditions or the safety and lives of their passengers.”

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center watchstanders initially received notification of the incident at approximately 3p.m. Saturday from the Coast Guard Liaison Officer stationed in the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who also relayed the initial request for assistance from Dominican Republic navy authorities to assist with the efforts to find and rescue survivors.

Coast Guard rescue crews involved in the search efforts consisted of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami on deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Operations Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.  

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

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews are searching Saturday for possible Dominican survivors, after their boat (yola) reportedly capsized in Samana Bay waters off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center watchstanders received notification of the incident at approximately 3p.m. Saturday from the Coast Guard Liaison Officer stationed in the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who also relayed a request for assistance from Dominican Republic navy authorities to assist with the efforts to find and rescue survivors.

Sector San Juan controllers launched a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami on deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and they diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo to the scene.  Coast Guard rescue aircrews are currently on scene searching.

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

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter medically evacuated a 46-year-old man Thursday from Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

Search-and-rescue coordinators at the Coast Guard Sector San Juan command center were contacted at approximately 8:06 a.m. Thursday by a Puerto Rico Department of Natural Environmental Resources park ranger, who notified that one of their employees was suffering from a seizure.

After consultation with a Coast Guard flight surgeon, a medevac was determined necessary. A Coast Guard rescue aircrew from Air Station Borinquen was launched to conduct the medevac.

The Coast Guard rescue aircrew landed on Mona Island, received the patient and transported him to the Medical Center Hospital in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.  The patient was transferred to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel for further medical care.

The condition of the patient is unknown at this time.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard rescue crews at Sector San Juan ended their search Thursday evening for an overdue fisherman in waters south of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico and Mona Passage waters southwest, west and northwest of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The overdue fisherman is Jose Luis Mendez Rodriguez, 40, who reportedly departed aboard a 22-foot boat Saturday morning from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on a fishing trip to the Pichinchos fishing grounds, approximately 35 nautical miles northwest of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.  The fisherman did not return at 5p.m. Saturday, when he was expected to arrive.

Coast Guard Watchstanders launched a four-day search after receiving a telephone call Monday afternoon from a Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources representative, who initially reported the incident to the Coast Guard.

The search was extended to waters south of Cabo Rojo following a telephone communication Tuesday from a friend of the fisherman, who reported that Mendez Rodriguez may have been fishing in this area.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the overdue fisherman on the disappearance of their loved one,” said Captain Drew W. Pearson, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander.  

Since the search began Monday afternoon, Coast Guard rescue crews conducted multiple air and surface searches in an attempt to find Mendez Rodriguez.  Search efforts aboard HH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla; an HC-130 aircraft and HC-144 from Air Station Clearwater, Fla.; an Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami, an HU-25 Falcon Jet from Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas; the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing and the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk covered approximately 6,500 square nautical miles within the search area, an area approximately twice the size of Puerto Rico.

The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk is a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews are searching Tuesday for a fisherman reportedly overdue from a fishing trip Saturday to the Pichinchos fishing grounds in the Mona Passage, approximately 35 nautical miles northwest of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Overdue is Jose Luis Mendez Rodriguez, 40, who reportedly departed on fishing trip from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico aboard a 22-foot open boat and he did not return at 5p.m. Saturday, when he was expected to arrive.

Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a telephone call Monday afternoon from a Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources representative, who initially reported the incident to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders proceeded to launch an Air Station Corpus Christi HU-25 Falcon Jet, on deployment to Puerto Rico, and divert the Coast Guard Cutters Mohawk and Cushing to search for the overdue fisherman.

Since the search began Monday afternoon Coast Guard rescue crews have been searching aboard:

• The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk  
• The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing 
• Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon Jet from Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas 
• Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft from Clearwater, Fla.

The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk is a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of fisherman Mendez Rodriguez is requested to contact the Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center at 787-289-2041.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing repatriated 11 Haitians and three Cubans to La Romana, Dominican Republic Friday night, following an at-sea migrant interdiction Friday morning by Caribbean Border Interagency Group law enforcement authorities just off Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Puerto Rico agreed to prosecute two other Dominicans and one Haitian from the interdicted vessel to face charges for illegal entry into a United States Territory.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders received a report from a Customs and Border Protection agent Thursday night, who notified that the crew of a Customs and Border Protection dash-8 aircraft had located a migrant vessel, approximately 13 nautical miles north of Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing to interdict the migrant vessel, while a Customs and Border Protection marine unit also responded. The crew of a Customs and Border Protection marine unit arrived on scene and interdicted the 21-foot migrant vessel with 17 people onboard, 13 men and four women, approximately three nautical miles from Mona Island.

The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing 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 Cushing rendezvoused with CBP Border Patrol agents in Añasco, Puerto Rico Friday afternoon, where they took the 2 Dominicans and one Haitian men into custody to face judicial proceedings ashore.

The Cushing repatriated the remaining 14 migrants at approximately 8:20p.m. Friday to La Romana, Dominican Republic, where they turned custody of the migrants to awaiting Dominican Republic Naval authorities.

Coast Guard Cutter 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, 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 - The Coast Guard suspended a search, pending further developments, for a missing Celebrity Summit cruise ship crewmember Monday night off the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico.

Missing is a 30-year-old woman, Filipino national, who worked as a bartender aboard the cruise ship and reportedly was last seen jumping overboard Sunday morning, approximately six and a half nautical miles off the northeastern coast of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of the missing crewmember,” said Capt. Drew W. Pearson, Sector San Juan commander.

The Celebrity Summit was transiting from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the eastern-most Caribbean island of Barbados at the time the incident occurred.

Coast Guard Watchstanders received notification of the incident from the cruise ship at approximately 12:50 a.m. Sunday.

Since the search began Sunday, Coast Guard rescue crews conducted 10 aerial and seven surface searches, spanning out approximately 2,000 square nautical miles, covering a total search area approximately two thirds the size of Puerto Rico.  Coast Guard rescue crews conducted the search aboard MH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, an HC-130 aircraft from Clearwater Fla., a Coast Guard 45-foot response boat medium and the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing.  A Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit also assisted with the search efforts.

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

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The sailing vessel Morning Mist sits grounded off a reef in "Puerto del Manglar," Culebra Island, Puerto Rico Thursday morning, after the vessel grounded and the crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter hoisted the two boaters onboard to safety Wednesday night.  (Photo provided by Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action).

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 dolphin helicopter rescued two boaters Wednesday night, after their 37-foot sailing vessel grounded on a reef in "Puerto del Manglar" just off the eastern shore of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico.

Joseph Lobs, 24, resident of Jacksonville, Fla. and Sarah Duncan, 18, resident of Silverton, Ore., where travelling aboard the sailing vessel Morning Mist from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, when the vessel grounded.

Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a May Day call at approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday via marine radio, on VHF-Channel 16, from the master of the Morning Mist, who reported running aground 10 nautical miles east of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.  Coast Guard Watchstanders were able to investigate and determine that the vessel's reported position was incorrect and proceeded to coordinate with the boaters and a Puerto Rico 911 Emergency Service operator, who was able to triangulate the sailing vessel’s correct position to Culebrita Reef just off the eastern shore of Culebra Island.   

Coast Guard Watchstanders received another communication at 8:10 p.m. Wednesday from the master of the Morning Mist, who reported that the sailing vessel had been freed from its’ grounded position and that they would continue their voyage to Puerto Rico.  Shortly thereafter, Coast Guard Watchstanders were contacted by the master of the Morning Mist, via a 911 Emergency Service operator, who reported that the sailing vessel had run aground a second time on a reef in "Puerto del Manglar" and was now taking on water.

Sector San Juan Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to rescue the boaters in distress.  The crew of the Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene, deployed their rescue swimmer and hoisted the boaters safely onboard the aircraft.

"This was a great response thanks to the close coordination between the boaters, our watchstanders and the 911 Emergency Service in determining the vessel's grounded position, which allowed our aircrews to arrive rapidly onscene and hoist the boaters to safety," said Cmdr. James Sutton, Sector San Juan chief of response.

The master of the sailing vessel is making arrangements with Sea Tow Puerto Rico Thursday to salvage the Morning Mist from its' grounded location.

San Juan, Puerto Rico – A team of Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection personnel, check the contents of a container for any undeclared hazardous goods, contraband or anomalies at the Seastar Marine Terminal Friday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The inspection was part of a multi agency strike force operation at San Juan harbor.  (U.S. Coast Guard photo).

San Juan, PR. - Coast Guard Sector San Juan concluded a multi agency strike force operation (MASFO) at the Seastar Marine Terminal Friday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The multi-agency strike force successfully screened a total of 200 containers with a Customs and Border Protection VACIS X-Ray machine, and they physically inspected 80 other containers and portable tanks, including multiple hazardous material containers.

During the MASFO no illegal drugs, contraband shipments or placarding irregularities were detected.

The primary objective of the MASFO was to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations pertaining to the safe shipment of cargo.  The MASFO was comprised of two teams strategically located throughout the port.  Leveraging the jurisdictional authorities of each agency, the inter-agency teams thoroughly inspected freight containers and portable tanks ensuring compliance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code as well as U.S. Regulations.  

"The MASFO was a great example of the interagency cooperation.” said Cmdr. David Berliner, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of prevention. “The timely and comprehensive inspections were aligned with the shared mutual objective of facilitating the safe and timely flow of commerce through the maritime and highway modes of transportation.”   

The initiative combined the capabilities of numerous agencies including Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.

For more detailed information regarding the MASFO, please contact Chief Petty Officer Jamie Thomson at (787) 289-2066.