The U.S. Coast Guard has discovered one physique and remains to be looking for 38 extra folks lacking within the ocean between the Bahamas and the Florida coast after a ship capsized in a suspected failed human smuggling operation.

A Coast Guard launch stated a "good Samaritan" saved a person clinging to a capsized vessel close to Florida's Fort Pierce Inlet on Tuesday morning. The survivor was dropped at a neighborhood hospital for dehydration and solar publicity.

The survivor informed authorities that he and 39 others had left from the island of Bimini within the Bahamas on Saturday however had been hit with excessive climate and the vessel capsized Sunday morning, the discharge stated. He additionally added that nobody was carrying a life jacket.

At a Wednesday information convention, Captain Jo-Ann F. Burdian stated the precedence was discovering survivors, however she described the scenario as "dire," Miami's WTVJ reported. The Coast Guard has discovered one physique in its search effort.

"The longer they continue to be within the water…uncovered to the marine atmosphere…with each second that passes, it turns into far more dire and extra unlikely" that there can be survivors, Burdian stated, in keeping with WTVJ.

In accordance with the Value Guard report, cutter crews searched over 1,300 sq. miles, concerning the dimension of Rhode Island, on Tuesday. On the information convention, Burdian stated that at the very least 4 ships and 5 aircrafts had scanned about 7,500 nautical miles, concerning the dimension of New Jersey, by Wednesday morning, the South Florida Solar Sentinel reported.

Burdian stated the search will proceed by Wednesday earlier than a call is made on how lengthy to proceed with the search effort, the Solar Sentinel added.

"We will not search eternally and there does come a degree the place, because the authority who makes the willpower to droop energetic looking, I've to make that robust resolution to convey property house and cease actively looking," she was quoted within the Solar Sentinel report.

The Coast Guard's launch stated there was a small craft advisory in place within the space on Saturday and Sunday attributable to a extreme chilly entrance, winds as robust as 23 miles per hour and swells as excessive as 9 toes.

Although Bimini is 55 miles east of Miami, the survivor was discovered 100 miles north of the island, because the Gulf Stream—the nice and cozy present flowing north alongside the U.S. Atlantic coast—pushed the boat north, WTVJ reported.

An airplane discovered the physique then directed a Coast Guard ship to its location, the Solar Sentinel reported. Burdian stated the physique can be taken to Fort Pierce on Wednesday. She didn't know the way far the physique had gotten from the boat when authorities recovered it.

As for the survivor, Burdian stated he's now within the Division of Homeland Safety's custody, the Related Press reported.

Coast Guard, Miami, Florida
The U.S. Coast Guard continues search and rescue operations for survivors after a ship believed to be concerned in a human smuggling operation capsized off the Florida coast. Above, Coast Guard members work on a cutter on the Coast Guard Sector Miami base on January 26 in Miami.Photograph by Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures