40 people rescued and several missing after boat capsizes in waters west of Puerto Rico

On September 28, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued at least 40 people from open waters west of Puerto Rico after their boat capsized following a fight involving a machete, resulting in two deaths and leaving several individuals missing. The incident occurred near an uninhabited island with survivors reporting that there were approximately 60 people on board the makeshift vessel before it sank. Survivors spent over 12 hours in the water without life jackets until they were spotted by another boat around noon, leading to immediate rescue efforts. Authorities are still searching for missing individuals and the origin of the boat remains unclear, though migrants fleeing from Hispaniola have long attempted to reach Puerto Rico through dangerous routes like the Mona Passage.