1 dead after Coast Guard collide with fishing boat off Puerto Rico

0

One person has died and his brother is injured after a U.S. Coast Guard cutter collided with a fishing boat off Puerto Rico on Monday, officials said.

The 154-foot U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser and the 23-foot commercial fishing vessel Desakata crashed around 2:20 p.m. Monday afternoon, about four nautical miles north of Dorado, Puerto Rico, a announced the Coast Guard.

Two brothers, identified by the Coast Guard as Carlos Rosario and Samuel Rosario Beltrán, were aboard the Desakata.

Both fishermen were picked up by the crew aboard the Winslow Griesser, a Sentinel-class fast-response cutter based in San Juan, following the collision.

Carlos was fatally injured, the Coast Guard said, while Samuel was injured but survived the crash.

Samuel was taken to Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan for treatment. Carlos’ remains will be transferred to the Forensics Science Institute in San Juan, the Coast Guard said.

“We sincerely mourn the passing of Carlos Rosario following the collision between a Coast Guard Cutter and the fishing vessel Desakata this afternoon,” said Captain José E. Díaz, Commander of Coast Guard Sector San John.

“We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones, and pray that they find strength during this most difficult time,” Díaz said.

It is not known what caused the accident. Díaz said a thorough investigation would be carried out “to determine the causal factors” and “so that we can prevent this type of incident from happening again in the future”.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the causes of the collision.

Share.

Comments are closed.