US Coast Guard Saves 61 Migrants Off Dominican Republic
PUERTO RICO · MIGRATION
Key Facts
- —The country Puerto Rico is a US territory in the Caribbean, separated from the Dominican Republic by the Mona Passage, a strait over 100 km (60 miles) wide.
- —What happened On Monday, 5 October, a US Coast Guard cutter and two Dominican Navy boats saved 61 migrants from an overloaded, sinking boat off Samaná.
- —Why it matters Migrant boats cross the Mona Passage toward Puerto Rico, which is US soil, and the Coast Guard says these voyages are increasing.
- —The earlier wreck A boat carrying 62 people capsized near Mona Island on 27 September; 49 survived, three died and 10 are still missing.
- —The search The Coast Guard and its partners suspended that search on the evening of 1 October, after 78 hours across 2,000 square nautical miles.
- —What it means for you Migrants stopped at sea are not allowed to stay in the US or its territories and can face prosecution or immediate repatriation.
A US Coast Guard cutter and Dominican Navy boats saved 61 migrants from a sinking boat off the Dominican Republic on Monday, 5 October. The rescue came eight days after a migrant boat capsized near Mona Island, on the route to Puerto Rico, leaving 10 people missing.
Puerto Rico is a US territory, so migrants who land there reach American soil. On Monday the Coast Guard, which patrols the Mona Passage, warned that “these dangerous and unlawful voyages are increasing.”
How the Rescue Off Samaná Unfolded
The cutter Winslow Griesser spotted the makeshift boat at about 5:50 a.m., some 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) northwest of the Cabo Cabrón headland. The cape sits on the Samaná Peninsula, in the northeast of the Dominican Republic.
The Coast Guard said the 30-foot (9-metre) boat was “grossly overloaded” and taking on water fast. The cutter was crossing Dominican waters under a bilateral agreement to deter unlawful migration by sea.
A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter from Puerto Rico gave air support, and a Dominican Air Force aircraft also responded. Two Dominican Navy patrol boats, the Capella and the Algenib, then helped the cutter’s crew bring all 61 people aboard.
Commander Matthew Romano, chief of response at the Coast Guard’s San Juan sector in Puerto Rico, credited both crews. “61 lives were saved from an overloaded, sinking vessel,” he said.
The Mona Island Capsizing That Left 10 Missing
The earlier boat capsized near Mona Island on the night of Sunday, 27 September. Mona is an uninhabited Puerto Rican island in the passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
A merchant ship came to the aid of four survivors the next day and alerted the Coast Guard. Univision Puerto Rico reported that someone had drawn a machete aboard, and passengers jumped into the sea before the boat sank.
Of the 62 people aboard, 49 were rescued and three bodies were recovered, leaving 10 missing. A spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection said the survivors were 47 Dominicans and two Haitians.
The search was suspended on the evening of Thursday, 1 October, after 78 hours across 2,000 square nautical miles. The Coast Guard said that area is larger than half of Puerto Rico.
Mona Survivors Return Through Samaná
After the rescue, the 49 survivors were taken to Mayagüez, on Puerto Rico’s west coast, and handed to federal authorities, Metro Puerto Rico reported. Dominican TV network Noticias SIN reported on Monday that Dominican survivors had since come home through the public pier in Samaná.
They arrived in the custody of the Dominican Navy, the police and intelligence agencies. Some told reporters that 63 people had set out, one more than the Coast Guard count.
Dominican officials have not confirmed that figure or commented on the group’s return.
Why Washington Watches the Mona Passage
The Coast Guard patrols these waters under Operation Vigilant Sentry, a standing effort from the Florida Straits to the Mona Passage. Its stated aim is to protect life at sea while stopping unlawful arrivals in the United States and its territories.
The Coast Guard said Monday’s interception is part of the Homeland Security Task Force, a joint federal law enforcement effort. President Donald Trump ordered these task forces set up by executive order on 20 January 2025, to target cartels, gangs and smuggling rings.
“Do not risk your life with ruthless smugglers,” Romano said. “Choose safe, lawful migration pathways; if caught, you could face prosecution or immediate repatriation.”
What It Means for You
For US readers, the rescue shows the Coast Guard working inside Dominican waters under a bilateral deal. Migrants stopped at sea or caught ashore will not be allowed to stay in the United States or a US territory, the agency says.
People who arrive unlawfully may also be declared ineligible for parole, a temporary permission to enter the US. That matters for families in the US with relatives in the Dominican Republic or Haiti.
The rescue of the 61 migrants is not a new policy step, since the Coast Guard describes its patrols as a continual presence. A guide to Puerto Rico and its Caribbean neighbours explains the route and the island’s status.
What Is Not Known
The Coast Guard handed all 61 migrants to Dominican Navy vessels at sea and said their nationalities are yet to be determined. It has not said where the boat left from or where it was heading.
It is not known whether anyone will face charges over either voyage. Metro Puerto Rico reported that Homeland Security Investigations, a federal investigative agency, has an open inquiry into the Mona voyage.
Noticias SIN reported on Monday that the Dominican Navy had also stopped a boat with 59 people north of Samaná, with Coast Guard support. Neither service has said whether it was the same boat.
The 10 people missing since 27 September have not been found. The Coast Guard said the search remains suspended pending new information that would allow it to resume.
More: Caribbean news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Coast Guard rescue the 61 migrants?
The Coast Guard found the 61 migrants about 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) northwest of the Cabo Cabrón headland. That is off the Samaná Peninsula, in the northeast of the Dominican Republic.
What happens to the people rescued off Samaná?
The 61 migrants were transferred to Dominican Navy vessels. Officials have not said whether anyone will be charged.
How many people are still missing from the Mona Island capsizing?
Ten people remain missing. The boat carried 62 people; 49 were rescued and three bodies were recovered before the search was suspended on 1 October.
Can migrants who reach Puerto Rico stay in the United States?
The Coast Guard says migrants stopped at sea or caught ashore will not be allowed to stay in the United States or a US territory. They can face prosecution or repatriation.
Sources: US Coast Guard, Sector San Juan: rescue of 61 migrants off Cabo Cabrón, 5 October 2026; US Coast Guard: Mona Passage search suspended, 1 October 2026; Federal Register: Executive Order 14159, 29 January 2025; Primera Hora: rescue of 61 people near the Dominican Republic, 6 October 2026; El Día: Coast Guard rescues 61 migrants, 5 October 2026; Noticias SIN: Mona survivors repatriated through Samaná, 5 October 2026; Univision Puerto Rico: 10 of 62 still missing near Mona Island, 29 September 2026; Metro Puerto Rico: search for 10 missing suspended, 2 October 2026; Noticias SIN: Dominican Navy intercepts boat with 59 people north of Samaná, 5 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief