The US Coast Guard has suspended its search for 16 migrants still missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Florida during Hurricane Ian. Two bodies were found earlier.
“Crews have suspended the search for the 16 missing persons pending new information,” the Coast Guard wrote Sunday.
A boat carrying 27 Cuban migrants capsized and sank Wednesday, hours before Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida.
Four migrants were able to swim to Stock Island, east of Key West, the US Border Patrol said. The Coast Guard said Thursday that a total of nine people had been safely located and rescued. On Friday, Koust said the two bodies – one near Ocean Edge Marina and one in the Boca Chico canal — was recovered.
“Putting out to sea at any time carries significant risk,” Coast Guard Capt. Robert Kinsey said Friday. “Going out to sea during a hurricane is absolutely reckless.”
Earlier this week, a storm in Cuba killed two people and knocked out the country’s power grid.
Ian then made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, on Wednesday as a powerful Category 4 storm, the second strongest possible category on Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Stephen Smith reported.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-ian-migrants-missing-search-suspended-boat-sinks-off-florida/
