Boat Loaded With Dominicans Sinks; At Least Five Drown
A boat loaded with more than 70 Dominican aliens capsized and sank Friday in rough seas off the coast of western Puerto Rico, and officials said that at least five people drowned.
The seas were so turbulent that a police rescue boat overturned while taking on survivors, authorities said.
Sixty-nine survivors were pulled from the sea, including six who were hospitalized, said Petty Officer Bruce Pimental, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman. He said five Dominicans had drowned.
Pimental said a sea and air search was under way several hours after the accident but that it was unlikely any more survivors would be found.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
