Florida boat capsize: Coast Guard begins recovering bodies as sole survivor found
‘Coast guard air and surface asset crews are actively searching for people in the water’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Coast Guard has recovered one body as the search continues for 38 people more people off the ocast of Florida following the capsizing of a boat believed to be used in human smuggling.
The discovery of one body comes after a sole survivor was found in the water on Tuesday, clinging to the partially capsized vessel.
Capt. Jo-Ann F. Burdian told the Tampa Bay Times: “It is dire. The longer they remain in the water ... exposed to the marine environment ... with every moment that passes, it becomes much more dire and more unlikely” that people will be pulled from the water alive.
Officials say that the alarm was raised when a survivor clinging to the overturned vessel was rescued by a passing craft east of the state’s Fort Pierce Inlet.
The survivor says that the group, none of whom had life jackets, left Bimini in the Bahamas on Saturday night when they encountered bad weather.
The coast guard says that they are dealing with a “suspected human smuggling venture”.
“Coast guard air and surface asset crews are actively searching for people in the water,” they said in a tweet.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments