40 people rescued and several missing after boat capsizes in waters west of Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued at least 40 people from their capsized boat Monday, several miles off a small uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico. Two individuals were found deceased, while survivors claimed there were around 60 people on board. Rescue operations continued into Monday evening. The boat overturned late Sunday after an altercation resulting in machete-related injuries, prompting the group to jump into the water without life vests.

It is unknown where the individuals originated from. The Coast Guard spokesperson did not disclose their country of origin. Migrants fleeing poverty and violence often journey from Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to Puerto Rico and other islands, traversing the perilous Mona Passage. Many do so on makeshift vessels that occasionally capsize in rough seas, with Monday marking another tragic incident.

In June 2022, 11 Haitian women and girls perished after their overcrowded boat capsized northwest of Puerto Rico. Last week, police in the Turks and Caicos Islands apprehended a makeshift boat transporting 60 Haitian migrants. In June, another 240 Haitian migrants were detained near the archipelago. Haiti has suffered a surge in gang violence, displacing a record 1.5 million people, with over 3,050 fatalities reported from January to June, according to U.N. statistics.

Armed men now control roughly 70% of Port-au-Prince and portions of central Haiti and surrounding areas.