At Least 15 Missing After Boat Sinks
The Coast Guard said it sent an HU-25 Falcon jet and two cutters to the scene, along with helicopters and planes based in Borinquen, Puerto Rico; Clearwater, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama. A Dominican Republic naval vessel also searched for survivors. Coast Guard cutters found 16 fishermen bobbing in the water, and a helicopter rescued another survivor, spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said. The survivors have been taken to hospitals for treatment of dehydration, said Capt. Carlos Rodriguez, a Dominican navy spokesman. He said 34 fishermen had been aboard the boat, but the Coast Guard put the number at 39.
Rescue crews will search an increasingly large area through the night, as currents carry survivors away from each other and some try to swim to safety, Castrodad said. Source: AP