Catching

One killed after US Coast Guard cutter, fishing boat collide off Puerto Rico

Baird Maritime

One person was killed while another suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a fishing boat and a US Coast Guard vessel collided off the northern coast of Puerto Rico on Monday, August 8.

The incident involving the commercial fishing vessel Desakata and the Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC) USCGC Winslow Griesser occurred approximately four nautical miles off the town of Dorado at around 14:19 local time on Monday.

The cutter's crew recovered the two fishermen, who have been identified as brothers Carlos Rosario and Samuel Rosario Beltran, immediately following the collision. Carlos Rosario was later pronounced deceased while his brother sustained less severe injuries.

The survivor was subsequently brought to a hospital in San Juan for treatment.

Captain Jose E. Diaz, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan, assured that a thorough investigation will be undertaken to identify the events that led to the collision and to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.