Dramatic Rescue at Sea: Coast Guard & PR Police Rescue 5 off PR Coast

  Dramatic Rescue at Sea:  

 Coast Guard & PR Police  

   Rescue 5 off PR Coast

M.A. Dworkin

     San Juan, PR - The Coast Guard and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action air crews rescued three federal agents and two other boaters during a search and rescue response involving two capsized vessels off Isla de Cabras in Toa Baja, off the northwest coast of Puerto Rico. 

     All three of the federal agents and the two boaters are safe and there are no other missing people. 

     Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a communication from Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) at 9:05 pm on Tuesday March 30, 2026, reporting a capsized vessel off Isla de Cabras, a small islet in the middle of the mouth of San Juan Bay in northeastern Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to alert vessel traffic in the area and directed the launch of a Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat Medium and a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter to provide rescue assistance. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Caribbean Air and Marine Branch marine unit and a Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action helicopter also responded. 

     Shortly thereafter, a Good Samaritan reported seeing a 22-foot capsized vessel and two people holding on to the vessel, and he provided a position for response units arriving on scene, while a Puerto Rico Police helicopter crew arrived on-scene and located the capsized vessel. As the CBP marine unit approached the boaters in 10-foot swells to attempt the rescue, their vessel also capsized, throwing the three agents into the water. The Station San Juan boat crew attempted to reach the three agents and the two boaters, but were unable due to the deteriorated sea state and the original capsized vessel being beyond the reef line. 

     As the Coast Guard MH-60T aircraft responded, the PR Police helicopter crew rescued one of the boaters and one of the CBP agents and transported them to Isla de Cabras. Once on scene, the Coast Guard aircrew deployed their Rescue Swimmer and safely hoisted the remaining two agents and the boater safely aboard the aircraft. 

     The survivors were transported to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, PR, where they were received by awaiting Puerto Rico Emergency Medical Services personnel and treated for minor injuries. 

     “Excellent team effort on this case late Tuesday night,” said Lt. David Tirado-Tolosa, Coast Guard Air Station MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircraft commander. “The quick actions by FURA and CBP AMO allowed for constant eyes on all five people in the water and their prompt rescue. This mission highlights the high-risk environment our crews, federal, and local partners face every time they respond to a search and rescue. We are very glad everyone made it home safely, as this could have easily had a different outcome. I encourage everyone to check the weather before heading out.”