MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — The Coast Guard says it has found four more bodies in its search for 38 migrants lost at sea off Florida's coast, for a total of five people dead.
The maritime security agency said Thursday that it also plans to call off its active search for survivors at sunset if it doesn't receive any new information. The information would include any tips that indicate there are remaining survivors, Coast Guard Captain Jo-Ann F. Burdian explained.
The search has spanned as far north as Port Canaveral and has covered an area about the size of Massachusetts, she added.
Authorities have stressed the difficulty of finding survivors in the turbulent waters of the Gulf Stream. A lone survivor who was found clinging to the hull of the overturned 25-foot-long boat on Tuesday said the boat capsized late Saturday after he and 39 others had set out for Florida from the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. The coast guard suspects the incident was an attempted human smuggling operation.
"I really just want to express my deepest condolences for anyone who may be grieving a loss or feared loss of a loved one in this particular case," Burdian said.
This investigation has been turned over to Homeland Security.
HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Tony Salisbury said the goal "is to identify, arrest and prosecute any criminal or criminal organization that organized, facilitated or profited from this doomed venture."
"Please help us bring criminals who prey and victimize the vulnerable migrant community to justice. We don’t want anybody doing this again, any more migrants. This is dangerous stuff," he continued.
Anyone with information on this case or anywho who believed they had a family member on board is asked to contact the HSI tip line at 866-347-2423.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this story.