61 migrants rescued from sinking vessel off Dominican Republic

The U.S. Coast Guard and Dominican Republic Navy rescued 61 migrants on Monday 5 October from an overloaded, sinking 30-foot makeshift vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, about 12 nautical miles northwest of Cabo Cabrón, Dominican Republic. The Coast Guard said the Cutter Winslow Griesser detected the vessel at about 5:50am AST. All 61 people were transferred to Dominican Republic Navy vessels, and their nationalities had not been determined.

The cutter was travelling through Dominican Republic territorial waters under a bilateral agreement to deter unlawful maritime migration when it spotted the vessel, according to the Coast Guard. Its crew confirmed the craft was rapidly taking on water and began bringing passengers aboard. Dominican Republic Navy patrol boats Capella, CG-108, and Algenib, Ll-169, arrived and assisted.

The Coast Guard also launched an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Borinquen, while a Dominican Air Force aircraft responded, the Coast Guard said.