At least 11 people died and 31 people were rescued after a boat carrying Haitian migrants overturned Thursday near an uninhabited island off Puerto Rico’s western coast, according to federal authorities.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft spotted the capsized vessel and over 20 people in the water near noon about 11 miles from Desecheo Island, a wildlife refuge in the Mona Passage, the treacherous stretch of water between Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola. The passengers appeared to not be wearing life jackets.
Customs and the U.S. Coast Guard were collaborating with the marine units of the Puerto Rico Police Department as the search for survivors continued Thursday evening.
