MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard said 12 people abandoned a 212-foot cargo ship Thursday night that began sinking about 51 nautical miles northwest of Haiti.
Coast Guard officials said they received a message that the crew members aboard the Bolivian-flagged ship, Minouche, were making preparations to abandon the ship.
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Officials said the 12 crew members got onto a life raft after abandoning the ship. The Coast Guard reported 10-foot swells in the area at the time.
A Coast Guard cutter was diverted and a helicopter was launched to the sinking ship's last known position.
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