After two full days of a massive search and rescue operation to find two missing Cuban refugees, the Cayman Islands Coast Guard has switched to search and recovery citing the slim chances of survival.
In a statement released 5pm Sunday 1 Oct., to its social media sites the Coast Guard noted that the men, among a group of ten who were on board a makeshift vessel that broke apart at sea, remain missing. Eight others either made it to the Brac or were rescued.
“Following an extensive SAR operation conducted by RCIPS air assets and Coast Guard surface assets it has been decided to stand down rescue operations and transition to search and recovery,” noted the CICG in its post. “This is based on the known in-water survivability rate.”
The alarm was first raised for the missing men 7am Saturday 30 Sept., when the first refugee was found in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac.
According to Customs and Border Control officers that man said he was one of 10 persons aboard a wooden boat that capsized and he believed the remaining men had all drowned.
However, a collective effort led by CICG, together with CBC, fire officers and the RCIPS Air Support Unit, alongside several private boat owners and fishermen resulted in six refugees being saved from the sea. A final man was also located on land having swam ashore.
All eight refugees were taken into custody and brought to the Faith Hospital, where the received medical treatment. No update on their condition has been provided .
It’s not clear how long the men have been adrift however the Cayman Compass understands that the men are thought to have set sail on Thursday 28 Sept., and during Friday night their board capsized dozens of miles of the coast of Cayman Brac.
But despite two full days of search efforts the remaining two men have not been found.
All efforts have been stood down for the remainder of the day. It’s not clear when the operation will resume nor its scale if it does resume.
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