They are looking for a Puerto Rican couple who were shipwrecked near Florida during Hurricane Ian.

The daughter of a Puerto Rican couple was reported missing since Wednesday night, September 28, while on a boat in Key West, Florida. No contact with anyone for the last four days.

Deiramer Johnston explained New day said his mother Betsy Morales-SottoA native of Camuy, and his stepfather, Omar Millet TorresThe Bayamon natives were on a boat in Key West between Tuesday afternoon and evening when tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Ian began to blow, which at the time was a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour (mph).

Units from the Miami-based Coast Guard’s 7th District are trying to find Morales Soto, Millet Torres and their dog by sea and land, but so far, they haven’t found the pair who lived on the boat. Since July, Johnston noted.

“It’s been four days since we last contacted them,” Johnston said. “There were two calls that day (Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, September 27). The first call was around 8:45pm when my brother called her and she told him that she was in a safe place. But he lied to her because at that time he told her he was cooking, but if you stay in a hotel, you don’t cook in a hotel. “That’s when my brother realized they were staying on the boat,” Johnston insisted.

“In the middle of the night, my grandmother called her and she calmed her down and told her, ‘Don’t worry, there’s not much wind, almost nothing,’ but my brother already knew they were sick, so he called the emergency room. They could help. How did they communicate?” I don’t know that, but (Morales Soto and Millet Torres) called the emergency services at 2:00 a.m. to report that communication with the anchor was broken. The boat. , but no water came and nothing (the structure) was broken. The emergency personnel put on life jackets and died due to strong winds and waves. They told me to wait until,” Johnston added.

The young woman indicated that after contacting emergency services, they did not make contact with Morales Soto or Millet Torres, and that Coast Guard search and rescue units did not locate the boat.

“For the first two days, the Coast Guard told us that because they were living on a boat, they had food and water, they were confident they could find them, and if they followed instructions, the probability of them being alive was good. . But an hour ago they called to say that the search by air and sea was continuing and that they had not been found. “When I confirmed that my mom couldn’t swim, I had a zero percent chance of her being alive and a 50 percent chance of my stepfather being alive because he knew how to swim,” Johnston said. .

Morales Soto’s daughter also got unexpected news: The Coast Guard told her they planned to call off the search tomorrow, Sunday, after the sun went down. However, Johnston emphasized that if the Coast Guard suspends operations, it will hire a private company to continue the search, if necessary.

“Neither my mother nor my stepfather can be said to be dead when no boat or bodies have been found. If they call off the search tomorrow and they don’t want to extend it, I’m prepared to hire a private company to search for them because I can’t call off the search when there’s no boat or bodies,” Johnston insisted.

The young woman also enlisted the help of boat owners in the Key West area to help with search efforts.

“If there are people with boats, if there is a channel they can talk to, send them messages or send them some sort of signal to let them know that we are looking for them and that a rescue is underway. Way and we didn’t stop. “We don’t want the public to go out, but help us get that message out,” Johnston stressed.

Earlier, Coast Guard District 7 Public Affairs Office said New day They continued to search for Morales Soto and Millet Torres, although they did not specify the areas where the search would be conducted.

“The search continues. There is a plane constantly searching for people. “These searches are always complex because the ocean is so big, it’s such a huge area, but mathematical computer models that represent current and tide are helping the search,” the Coast Guard said.

In addition to the Coast Guard ships, MH-65 and MH-60 helicopters and HC-144 and HC-130 aircraft are assisting in the search, according to the US Armed Forces Maritime Security Division. .

“(The Coast Guard) has boats, but they have aircraft involved in the search. If the aircraft sees something, it tells the boats. Sometimes they’re used at the same time, other times they’re used at the same time, depending on what’s available because there are other missions. But all of these assets have been used to search for these guys. ” the Coast Guard added.

The Public Affairs Office added, “For Hurricane Ian, assets were moved from other locations to assist with search and rescue efforts. In total, more than 50 assets, including ships, boats, airplanes and helicopters, were mobilized, relocated and organized to carry out the tasks.

If you have information that could help authorities find Morales Soto and Millet Torres, you can call 1-305-292-8727 or, if you are at sea, send information on VHF channel 16.