# Mona Passage shipwreck and rescue operation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mona-passage-shipwreck-and-rescue-operation
> Updated: 2026-10-02T01:24:39.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended a 78-hour search operation in the Mona Passage near Puerto Rico following a shipwreck involving an overcrowded improvised boat. The vessel, which departed from the Dominican Republic carrying approximately 62 people—primarily Dominican nationals and at least two Haitian citizens—capsized on a Sunday night.

Authorities reported that 49 survivors were rescued and transferred to Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol in Mayagüez, while three deceased individuals were recovered. Survivors indicated that a “violent altercation involving a machete” occurred on board, leading to the vessel's capsize. The search remains suspended pending new information.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: Mona Passage shipwreck search suspended after 49 rescued

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended a massive search in the Mona Passage after a shipwreck involving 62 migrants. 49 people were rescued, three died, and approximately 10 remain missing.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mona-passage-shipwreck-search-suspended-after-49-rescued

### 2026-09-25: Maritime disaster search finds no further bodies in shipwreck

Authorities report that extensive searches of a shipwreck have found no additional bodies, though recovery efforts continue. The vessel's black box has been recovered and handed to police.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maritime-disaster-search-finds-no-further-bodies-in-shipwreck

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Cite as: Mona Passage shipwreck and rescue operation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mona-passage-shipwreck-and-rescue-operation