38 Rescued, 11 Dead as Coast Guard Searches Waters Near Puerto Rico

At least 38 people have been rescued and 11 bodies found as the U.S. Coast Guard scoured the open waters northwest of Puerto Rico on Friday via boat, plane and helicopter in a bid to find more survivors after a boat carrying suspected migrants capsized.

The group was first spotted Thursday morning by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter, with authorities warning it likely would have been too late to rescue anyone otherwise. Rescue efforts were concentrated in an area more than 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of the uninhabited island of Desecheo, which lies west of Puerto Rico.