Jireh
The 56 meter long freighter Jireh ran aground near Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The vessel loaded with 100 migrants passengers was en route to St. Martin when it struck a reef. Some 80 passengers swam ashore to the island with the remaining passengers staying on board.
Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received notification of the incident at approximately 6:50 a.m. Thursday from Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, who reported the incident.
Coast Guard Watchstanders immediately launched an Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to the scene and notified federal and state agencies of the situation. The Coast Guard Cutter Cushing is currently on scene assessing the situation, rendering assistance and accounting for all the people who remain on board the vessel.
At this time no signs of pollution have been detected in the water. Coast Guard pollution response personnel are responding as rapidly as possible and will be arriving on scene Thursday to conduct a more thorough assessment.
Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents, Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action and Puerto Rico Department of Natural & Environmental Resources marine units are coordinating to determine a plan of action to transfer the vessel passengers from Mona Island, while the Coast Guard is also coordinating with federal and local agencies to assess any environmental impact that may have been caused by the grounding of the vessel.
