The Coast Guard Fishes Man From Coast Of Florida

The Coast Guard Fishes Man From Coast Of Florida

Image captured from Coast Guard

The Coast Guard was notified by fishermen on Tuesday morning after they witnessed a man holding on to a huff of a boat in the middle of the ocean.

The nameless survivor was aboard a boat that left the island of Bimini, Bahamas Saturday night. Aboard were 40 individuals that encountered unsuitable weather, putting them 45 miles from the city of Fort Pierce, Florida.

US officials believe that the boat was “smuggling humans.” According to the survivor, none of the passengers wore life vests.

During the search, officials located another passenger, (pronounced dead), leaving them to find the other 38 passengers.

In addition, the Miami Coast Guard along with other government agencies are searching for boat debris to help locate survivors. The search area is approximately the same size as the state of New Jersey.

On Wednesday morning, Captain Jo-Ann Burdian the commander of the Coast Guard’s Miami sector, reported they have a lead. Their aircraft received information on a field of debris, which can potentially lead to more information.

A US Coast Guard vessel docks during an offload of packages of marijuana and cocaine at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 22, 2021. – The US Coast Guard offloaded millions of dollars of drugs that were intercepted at sea at Port Everglades on Monday morning. (Photo by Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP) (Photo by EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images)

This possible smuggling boat took the route from the Bahamas to the southern US, encountering cold fronts, high winds, and high waves. 

While the search is in process, rescuers are aware that any survivor would be in dire conditions. Considering the lack of resources and the environment, surviving would be difficult. 

Officials are unsurprised by this event since many islanders attempt to reach the southern point of Florida by boat. Friday, the Coast Guard reported that they found 88 Haitian on a compacted ship west of the Bahamas.

“Navigating the Florida Straits, Windward and Mona Passages in overloaded and less than seaworthy vessels is extremely dangerous and can result in loss of life,” the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Cost Guard does not encourage these voyages, despite their frequency.

Officials state that their mission is to eliminate these voyages. If caught, any foreigner will be put on probation and sent back to their county of origin.

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