Coast Guard ends search for boat carrying 20 from Bahamas to Florida

[Chotu]

The part of this story that really shocks me is this part:

“ The blue and white 29-foot Mako Cuddy Cabin vessel departed Bimini, Bahamas, Monday, but failed to reach its destination in Lake Worth, Florida, the Coast Guard said in a statement.”

29ft boat, 20 people???

Crossing the Gulf Stream??

In the conditions we’ve been having??




https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/coast-...as-to-florida/

[GordMay]

Coast Guard searching for an overdue vessel near Bahamas
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/30/2020 01:58 PM EST
➥ https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/2b376f3

Coast Guard suspends search for an overdue vessel near south Florida
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/01/2021 07:29 PM EST
➥ https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/2b3b8c1


The New York Post isn't known for the accuracy of it's reporting, nor for restrained headlines.
However, in this case, they seem to have correctly reported the facts, as provided by the USCG.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by Chotu

The part of this story that really shocks me is this part:

“ The blue and white 29-foot Mako Cuddy Cabin vessel departed Bimini, Bahamas, Monday, but failed to reach its destination in Lake Worth, Florida, the Coast Guard said in a statement.”

29ft boat, 20 people???

Crossing the Gulf Stream??

In the conditions we’ve been having??




https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/coast-...as-to-florida/

I’m not aware, what wind direction and strength has there been this week? If anything more than about 15 knots out of the north they wouldn’t have a chance in an overloaded boat like that.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

I’m not aware, what wind direction and strength has there been this week? If anything more than about 15 knots out of the north they wouldn’t have a chance in an overloaded boat like that.

It’s been blowing a lot more than usual. Note, I’m tied to a dock working on the boat currently, so I’m not watching the weather closely.

However, it’s been bad enough for some 50ft sailboats to wait the weather out to cross. If memory serves, the bad wind was earlier this week and yes, had a northern component. I also recall seeing the characteristic little boxes of NOAA marine warnings out all around Florida’s east coast when checking the weather for temps and rain.

I don’t think I’d take that boat out with 20 people in a small lake, never mind this.

[flyingfin]

From Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"The disappearance without a trace prompted speculation that it may be a smuggling vessel that is trying to avoid detection, but that does not matter to the Coast Guard.

“We don’t care if they’re illegals or drug trafficking,” Hernandez said. “We don’t want any lives lost at sea.”

Anyone with information about the missing blue and white Mako Cuddy Cabin is asked to contact the Coast Guard District Seven Command Center at 305-415-6800."

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

I’m not aware, what wind direction and strength has there been this week? If anything more than about 15 knots out of the north they wouldn’t have a chance in an overloaded boat like that.

That's eZACtly what Chotu is saying.

The lack of boating knowledge was astonishing.

Situations such as this are why so many of us (Chotu and myself included) continuously urge newbies to get out and actually sail, take ASA, RYA and/or Power Squadron courses, get some actual experience under your belt before buying a boat blind.

If you're new to the boating/sailing life, you DO NOT know what you don't know...

This is a horrendous story and far more than just a "cautionary tale".

LittleWing77

[Cthoops]

One of the reports I read a few days ago when it first was missing said it was thought to be related to human trafficking. If so, that explains the number of people in the boat. It was blowing stink out there from the north earlier this week.

[Scorpius]

Jeez. This is TERRIBLE! If it is human trafficking I foresee murder charges in someone's future.

[Woodland Hills]

More likely negligent homicide or manslaughter. Besides if they are all lost at sea, how do you arrest and charge a corpse?

[sailortype]

unless they too are on the bottom.
Just horrible any way you look at it

[boatman61]

Human trafficking seems dubious.. as does drug Smuggling..
Boats involved in those activities tend to avoid notifying authorities about their departure, much less persons on board.
Most likely a Christmas bash gone terribly wrong.

[Scorpius]

If it was human smuggling (and I can't think it could be anything else taking that many people on that boat in that location in that weather) there will be more people involved ashore at one end or the other. They are complicit and certainly can be charged with the victims' deaths.

[Elie]

Normaly, crossing from Bimini to Florida is roughly 50 miles. A motor cruiser doing 15 knoks wil do the crossing in less 4 hours, with consideration for the current of Gulf Stream. . I don't understand or shall I say I have serious doubts about this strange incident. The weather is often bad at this of year with successions of northers, some of them nasty, but still, a 29 ft cruiser shall be able to cross this patch of ocean, in my opinion. A VHF radio would reach US Coast Gard all the way. So go figure what realy appened!

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by Elie

.......but still, a 29 ft cruiser shall be able to cross this patch of ocean, in my opinion.

With 5 or 6 on board you are probably correct.

But not with 20. Severely overloaded.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by boatman61

... Most likely a Christmas bash gone terribly wrong.

I thought that too - but you'd think there would be more details from worried families at this point. I can't imagine the captain's idiocy of loading 20 people for that trip. A smuggling captain would presumably like to keep floating as well...