The United States Coat Guard said 16 people had disappeared in two different boats off the coast of Florida. Officials said 10 people disappeared near Key West, while another six disappeared off the coast of Fort Pierce.
The agency said on Monday that the search for sailors outside Fort Pierce was suspended after searching an area of more than 10,000 miles for a total of 140 hours.
“The decision to suspend a search and rescue case is never something we take seriously,” said Capt. JoAnn Burdian, commander of the Miami Coast Guard Sector. “We offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the people involved during this difficult time.”
The Coast Guard tweeted on Sunday night that it located the boat used by the 10 people who disappeared about eight miles south of Long Key. The Guard posted two images of the vessel, saying “the search continues”.
The first search started on Friday morning, when a sailor rescued a Jamaican citizen who said six other people were with him when his 18-foot ship capsized two days earlier, about 23 miles off the coast of Fort Pierce.
They were coming from Bimini, Bahamas, according to the Coast Guard, but the agency did not mention where the boat was going.
The Coast Guard said it dispatched three cutters and a plane to search the area, but the missing sailors could not be found.
The rescued man was transported ashore for medical treatment.
Last week, the Coast Guard rescued three Cuban citizens who were stranded for more than a month on a desert island in the Bahamas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.