LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Coast Guard officials said Wednesday they are searching for an overdue vessel with around 20 people aboard headed from the Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach.
Officials said they received a report Tuesday that the boat, a blue and white 29-foot Mako Cuddy Cabin, was last known to be departing Bimini on Monday but did not arrive as expected.
The vessel and people were reported to be en route to Lake Worth Beach, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard said they were alerted Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force asking for help locating the boat.
"They didn't have the name of the vessel, they said about 20 people on board, they didn't have specifically their nationality or any names to go on," said Jose Hernandez with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Hernandez said since 5 a.m. the Coast Guard has been out in the Atlantic helping with the search.
"In this case, we don't really have the location except for the final destination, so we are just searching the Gulf Stream between the Bahamas and South Florida," he said.
Hernandez said conducting a search is labor-intensive.
"They take into account the size of the vessel, the amount of gasoline, the motor it has. Then you have other people that plot the actual currents, the actual weather involved," he said.
Below are the agencies and crews searching for the missing boat:
- Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-130 Hercules aircrew
- Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew
- Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvel crew
- Royal Bahamas Defence Force surface units
- Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association air assets
The Coast Guard said there was no timetable on how long they would continue to search for the boat.
Anyone who can help in the search is urged to contact Coast Guard District Seven Command Center at 305-415-6800.