On Friday evening, the United States Coast Guard suspended the search for a Caribbean national missing at sea after jumping off a vessel with illegal migrants to swim to shore.
The incident occurred off Puerto Rico after the Coast Guard interdicted the migrant vessel on Thursday morning.
A Coast Guard release identified the missing man as Dominican Republic national Daniel Pichardo MartÃnez, 21.
“Despite the efforts to find this young man, his fate remains uncertain,” Captain José E. DÃaz, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander, said.
DÃaz observed that the case highlighted the dangers of maritime migration voyages, often aboard grossly overloaded makeshift vessels with little or no lifesaving equipment.
“To anyone thinking of taking part in such a voyage, we urge you to not take to sea. Your life and the life of everyone else in the voyage will be at risk,” he warned.
Coast Guard air and surface units completed 12 air and two surface searches, covering over 3,339 square nautical miles within the search area, an area approximately the size of Puerto Rico in the search for the missing Dominican Republic national.
well they all know it’s a matter of life or death before they take the risk. so be it