ISABELA, Puerto Rico — Coast Guard crews and first responders are searching for several people believed missing in the water about 75 yards off Shacks Beach after their makeshift boat capsized.
Watch standers received a 911 call just before 1 a.m. Friday on a report of people in the Atlantic Ocean from a possible overturned vessel that was taking part in an illegal smuggling operation, according to a news release. Multiple people also were reportedly seen running inland from the water.
Authorities stated, according to survivors' accounts, that 27 people were on board the boat before it capsized.
A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen was launched to help in the search.
Twelve people were arrested by Border Patrol from the voyage, the Coast Guard said.
In a separate operation, the Coast Guard said it suspended rescue efforts at sunset Thursday off Florida's east coast after earlier announcing crews found four additional bodies in its search for dozens of migrants missing since their boat overturned, according to The Associated Press.
A total of five people were found dead, with 34 people still missing.
"We have saturated the area over and over again," Coast Guard Capt. Jo-Ann F. Burdian said during a news conference. "We’ve had good visibility. ... We’ve overflown the vessel a number of times. ... It does mean we don’t think it’s likely that anyone else has survived."
