Coast Guard calls off search for 5 missing passengers after boat overturns near Florida
The United States Coast Guard has suspended its search for five missing people after a boat capsized near St. Lucie Inlet in Florida on Sunday.
"The decision to suspend a search is always difficult and never taken lightly," Chief Warrant Officer Edgardo Insignares, a Coast Guard Sector Miami search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement on Monday.
Four individuals were rescued from the scene on Sunday, the Coast Guard said in a statement on X.
One of the recovered passengers said that the vessel departed Bimini with nine passengers on Friday, according to a Coast Guard press release on Monday.
They "immediately capsized," a woman who survived the incident told Martin County Sheriff's Office, which assisted in the rescue.
The press release also said that officials suspect the incident was a "failed smuggling venture."
"Smugglers routinely exploit vulnerable aliens for profit while putting their lives at risk aboard overloaded and unseaworthy vessels," Insignares said in his statement. "These dangerous and illegal voyages must not be attempted."
Crews had searched by air and sea for approximately seven hours, covering more than 1,240 square miles, before the search was called off, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard stated in a social media post on Sunday afternoon that the search began after a "good Samaritan reported the incident," which took place some 29 miles off the coast of St. Lucie Inlet in Florida.
Martin County Fire Rescue shared in a post on X that the Coast Guard was on the scene just before 10 a.m.
"5 occupants were located, 1 of whom was deceased. 4 were transported for further evaluation," Martin County Fire Rescue wrote on Sunday afternoon. However, the Martin County Sheriff's Office held a press conference on Monday afternoon during which Sheriff John Budensiek stated, "I've seen a report that one individual was recovered deceased. That did not happen while our deputies were out there and we've not been able to verify that with anyone."
In another post later that same day, Martin County Fire Rescue said that one of the individuals had "serious injuries" while the other three presented non-life-threatening injuries, and they were all brought to Cleveland Clinic's Martin South Hospital in Martin County.
ABC News' Chris Barry contributed to this report.
