The Coast Guard says it has found four more bodies in its search for nearly 40 migrants lost at sea off the east coast of Florida after their boat capsized in severe weather over the weekend, bringing the death toll to five. Officials said they plan to call off their active search for survivors at sunset on Thursday.
after their boat capsized in severe weather over the weekend. With the death toll at five, 34 people remain missing.human smugglingCoast Guard Capt. Jo-Ann F. Burdian said they have decided to suspend the search at sunset Thursday, pending any new discoveries, but that the decision was not an easy one.
"We have saturated the area over and over again," she said. "We’ve had good visibility. We know we’re searching in the right area. We’ve overflown the vessel a number of times and have found additional deceased persons. It does mean we don’t think it’s likely that anyone else has survived." The Miami office of Homeland Security Investigations said it believes the overturned boat a man was found clinging to on Tuesday was part of a human smuggling operation and they have launched an investigation to determine who was behind it. Under federal law, a smuggler convicted of causing a death is eligible for execution.
"The goal of this investigation is to identify, arrest and prosecute any criminal or criminal organization that organized, facilitated or profited from this doomed venture," said HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Coast Guard searches for 39 people after boat capsizes off Florida coastThe Coast Guard said it's 'a suspected human smuggling venture.'
Read more »
Coast Guard finds 4 more migrant bodies off Florida coast, suspends searchThe Coast Guard said Thursday that it had found four additional bodies in its search for dozens of migrants lost at sea off Florida but that it would call off its active search for survivors at sunset if it doesn’t receive any new information.
Read more »
Coast Guard to call off search for 34 missing migrants after boat capsized off Florida coastThe boat of 40 migrants left the Bahamian island of Bimini on Saturday night and capsized in the turbulent Gulf Stream waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Read more »
Body Found Amid Coast Guard Search for 38 Missing After Boat Capsizes Off FloridaThe Coast Guard has recovered one body and is keeping up the search for 38 other people missing from a capsized boat after a solitary survivor was found clinging to the overturned hull off the Florida coast
Read more »
Situation 'dire' as Coast Guard seeks 38 missing off FloridaThe U.S. has launched a criminal probe into whether a smuggling ring is behind a boat that capsized off Florida with 40 migrants onboard. The Coast Guard says one survivor and one body have been found and it is searching for the other 38 people.
Read more »