A reporting source and two Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency personnel confirmed having a visual, with binoculars, of a person in the water with a red or orange life jacket, approximately one nautical mile from shore, the U.S. Coast Guard reported Saturday.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a 911 call Saturday reporting the distress. Air and surface units were dispatched to search for the person in the water, where conditions on scene were reported to be eight to ten-foot waves and 20-knot winds, according to the press report.
Coast Guard watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to alert possible vessel traffic in the area. They also directed the launch of a Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter to search. A Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit and Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency personnel also responded, according to the report.
The Coast Guard has not received any maritime reports of overdue vessels nor of a missing person.
Coast Guard assets involved in the search:
- Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium
- Air Station Borinquen MH-60T JayHawk helicopter
- Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez
Anyone with information about a missing person that may be related to this case is encouraged to contact the Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center at 787-289-2041.