More survivors and victims found after boat carrying 62 capsizes near Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 49 individuals and is still searching for 10 others after a boat carrying migrants capsized in open waters west of Puerto Rico on Sunday. At least three bodies have been recovered from the incident. One passenger reportedly attacked others with a machete, causing serious injuries and prompting many to jump into the water out of fear.

The majority of the passengers were migrants from the Dominican Republic, with two believed to be from Haiti. The attack's cause remains unclear, but it led to a chaotic and panicked situation onboard. U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Ricardo Castrodad stated that if it weren't for a passing vessel that reported the incident on Monday afternoon, rescuing four people, the death toll could have been significantly higher.

Helicopters were seen over Mona Island and surrounding areas on Tuesday as rescuers continued their search for the missing. This tragic event is the latest in a series of deadly voyages across the Mona Passage, which separates Puerto Rico from Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Migrants have been risking their lives on makeshift vessels to escape poverty and violence in their home countries.

In June 2022, 11 Haitian women and girls lost their lives when the overloaded boat they were on capsized in open water northwest of Puerto Rico.