According to the Russian Satellite News Agency reported on the 28th, U.S. Coast Guard commander Jo-Ann Burdian said at a press conference on Thursday (27th) that they found a total of 5 bodies on an overturned ship near Florida and planned to suspend the search and rescue operation at sunset, and there are still 34 migrants missing.
Satellite News Agency reported with image
According to previous media reports, the ship departed from Bimini Island in the Caribbean island nation of the Bahamas on Saturday (22nd) night, and encountered bad weather capsizing on the way to Florida, and the Coast Guard suspected that the boat's smuggling attempt was unsuccessful and treated as a "suspected human smuggling case". On the 25th, helicopters and boats were dispatched to search for missing persons in a 218-kilometer radius between Bimini Island and Fort Pierce.
Coast Guard Miami District Commander Bodian said she weighed unforeseen weather conditions, the number of people who fell into the water and their confidence in making the decision to suspend search and rescue. She said the victims of the case had been in the water since last Saturday night.
"We found 4 bodies in the last 24 hours, which brings the total number of bodies found in the search area to 5," Bodian said Thursday, "I have reached the most difficult stage ... That is, when to stop active search, and at sunset tonight, we will pause active search. ”
She said the search could continue if the Coast Guard receives more information that would help the operation. She also said the Coast Guard will continue to maintain a strong water presence with its partners.
According to Bodian, the search and rescue team found a body earlier this week, and the only survivor found on the hull of the overturned ship was rescued by a well-wisher passing by and brought to shore for treatment. The survivor told authorities that on the evening of the 22nd, 40 people left Bimini Island in the Bahamas, where their boat capsized in bad weather and none of them wore life jackets. (Editor: SDY)