Two Dead, 40 Rescued After Machete Fight Leads to Boat Capsizing Near Puerto Rico
Migrant boat overturned in open waters after a violent altercation, leaving survivors adrift for over 12 hours.
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued at least 40 individuals from the open water after a makeshift boat capsized several miles off the coast of Puerto Rico on Sunday. Two people died in the incident, which officials said was precipitated by a fight involving a machete.
Survivors indicated that an estimated 60 people were aboard the vessel when it overturned. The Coast Guard reported that the makeshift boat capsized late Sunday following a violent altercation where some passengers sustained severe injuries from a machete. This led to the group jumping into the water, despite not wearing life vests.
Rescue efforts were initiated when a passing boat noticed survivors in the water around noon on Monday, more than 12 hours after the capsizing. The person on the passing vessel alerted authorities and assisted in the immediate rescue of four individuals.
It remains unknown where the passengers originated from, according to the Coast Guard. Migrants have historically traveled from Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to Puerto Rico and other islands, frequently navigating the treacherous Mona Passage.
These journeys often occur on makeshift boats, which are prone to capsizing in unstable waters. This recent event is among several deadly voyages.
In June 2022, 11 Haitian women and girls were buried in Puerto Rico after their overcrowded boat capsized northwest of the U.S. territory. More recently, a makeshift vessel carrying 60 Haitian migrants was detained in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week. In June, approximately 240 Haitian migrants were intercepted near the Turks and Caicos Islands.
These migrations are occurring against a backdrop of severe gang violence in Haiti, which has displaced an estimated 1.5 million people. According to United Nations data, over 3,000 people were reportedly killed in Haiti between January and June of the current year, with armed groups controlling an estimated 70% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and significant portions of land elsewhere in the country.