ORANJESTAD (AAN):
A boat carrying two people that was traveling from the Dominican Republic to Aruba has been reported missing, according to a report received by the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard late last weekend.
The two men, identified as an American and a Honduran, departed on Tuesday afternoon from the Dominican Republic with Aruba as their destination. By the time the report was received that evening, they had not arrived as expected.
Because the report came in during nighttime hours with limited visibility, the Maritime Operations Center initially did not deploy search units. Instead, it decided to wait until first light to launch an aerial search using a Coast Guard aircraft.
Based on the planned navigation route provided, the MOC established a probable search area for the aircrew to monitor. The search operation began on Thursday and continued for three consecutive days.
Despite extensive efforts, the search yielded no positive results. Navigation warnings (NAVTEX) and UMIBS alerts were also broadcast to vessels in the surrounding area, but no new information regarding the missing boat or the two men was received.
As a result, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard made the decision to suspend the active search operation. However, during routine patrols, the Coast Guard will continue to remain vigilant and monitor the area in case new information becomes available. Regional search and rescue coordination centers have also been notified of the missing vessel.
Photo Credits : https://diario.aw/categories/noticia/general/boto-cu-2-persona-nabegando-di-republica-dominicana-pa-aruba-awor-ta-perdi
