Sargassum and Saharan dust hamper search for missing Dominican shipwreck victims

Dominican rescue teams made progress Saturday in a second day of searching for at least 20 missing people after a boat traveling to Puerto Rico capsized, but reported difficulties due to sargassum , strong waves, and poor visibility.

The confirmed death toll has risen to six, Fernando Castillo, provincial director of Civil Defense, told AFP.

Among the recovered bodies are a woman, three men, and a child. The deceased are Dominican and Haitian citizens.

The boat, which capsized on Friday, was carrying between 40 and 50 migrants , according to several rescued individuals. Civil Defense officials confirmed the death toll at 17.

Strong waves, the presence of sargassum beds, and clouds of dust from the Sahara Desert have hampered the search efforts, Civil Defense Director Juan Salas said earlier.

"Today, the biggest concern is the sargassum, which makes it difficult to see any body or object in the water," the official said.

In addition, Saharan dust, which typically drifts toward the Caribbean between May and September, has affected the visibility of aircraft flying over the area.

"We've deployed a number of vessels to the area to be able to search as quickly as possible, because in this case, rapid assistance must be provided in the event of any survivors," he emphasized.

The search ceased around dusk on Saturday and will resume on Sunday morning.

The victims were traveling in a yola , the name given to small fishing boats typically used to transport undocumented immigrants to Puerto Rico, a free state associated with the United States. A yola can carry up to 100 people.

The Dominican Navy said that "they were attempting to travel illegally to Puerto Rico, off the coast of Juanillo, La Altagracia province," on the eastern tip of the island, very close to Punta Cana.

The route is approximately 130 km to Puerto Rico . Illegal migration from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico has been on the rise in the last decade.

The boats are built with wood or fiberglass, and authorities warn that they do not comply with safety measures. However, a transfer to Puerto Rico can cost more than $7,000, according to press reports.