Multiple maritime tragedies have struck Miami’s coast in the last few days. Four fatalities have been reported from one tragedy involving a boat capsizing off the coast of Miami on Wednesday. The boat was transporting migrants from Haiti and Jamaica, and it is believed that the travelers may have been part of a smuggling operation. When the coast guard arrived, some survivors were clinging to the 15 to 20 foot power boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7gyZYImpyE

Rescue efforts were initiated after the Coast Guard received a phone call at 1:00 a.m. EDT from a 911 dispatch center. According to Petty Officer Sabrina Laberdesque, one of eleven survivors was taken to the hospital in order to receive treatment before ultimately being turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Unfortunately, the four deceased individuals were located seven miles east of Miami.

Sabrina Laberdesque was unable to elaborate on the intended nature of the boat’s travel; however, she did speak about the rescue efforts.

“We’re searching by air and by sea for additional possible survivors,” Laberdesque said before adding, “they’re suspected to be Haitian and Jamaican.”

Though questions still remain behind the reason for the people being abroad the vessel, there were additional concerns during the initial phase of the rescue about whether rescuers would be able to find the unspecified, indeterminable number of passengers aboard the overloaded boat. However, these concerns have been put to rest.

Commander Darren Caprara serves as the chief response officer for the Miami division of the U.S. Coast Guard, and recently spoke about the results from the process undertaken in order to find survivors.

“We have every reason to believe that we have found all the people at sea. The final number was 15. It turned out to be nine males and six females,” Darren Caprara said.

Another boat containing thirty passengers, where the boat was forty-five feet in length, capsized near Miami on Sunday. Even though none of the passengers were reportedly wearing life vests, the incident had a happier ending for those involved. Fortunately, this boating incident involved no fatalities and a dog was even rescued.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atkBFNSmTSc

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