San Juan, Sep 5 (EFE).- The U.S. Coast Guard in San Juan reported Thursday that it rescued, along with officers from the Dominican Republic Naval Force, 20 Dominican migrants from a boat that was sinking in the Atlantic Ocean.
According to a statement issued by the Coast Guard today, it was its HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft that detected the suspicious vessel on Monday approximately 30 nautical miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Samana, in the Dominican Republic.
Upon sighting the boat, the coast guard observed that the migrants were asking for help while the ship was sinking.
In response, the Coast Guard deployed one of its vessels from its port in San Juan, as did the Dominican Naval Force, which in turn deployed its Capella boat to the scene to assist in the rescue.
Some time later, both security forces arrived at the scene, providing 18 life jackets to the group of 20 migrants, 18 men and two women, who were later rescued and handed over to the Dominican authorities. EFE
