Fla. Boat Crash Leaves 5 Dead, 7 Injured

Coast Guard slams 'callous' smugglers after migrants drown

(NEWSER) - At least 10 people died when an overloaded boat authorities believe was being used to smuggle Haitian migrants into the US capsized off the coast of Florida yesterday, CNN reports. The Coast Guard—which launched a massive search-and-rescue operation after a pleasure boat spotted survivors in the water—saved 16 people and believes several others may still be missing. More»

28 Haitian and Bahamian migrants were aboard: Coast Guard

(NEWSER) - As many as nine people are dead after a boat carrying 28 Haitian and Bahamian migrants capsized 15 miles off the Florida coast this morning, the Palm Beach Post reports. About half the passengers have been located and the search is continuing, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel adds. Some passengers may have been in the water since 2am. More»

(AP) - The family of NFL player Marquis Cooper said today they have decided to discontinue their search for the 26-year-old man and two friends still missing in the Gulf of Mexico. In a statement, Bruce Cooper said his family is beginning the healing process, and needs time to be together and remember his son. Cooper described his son as a great father and husband. More»

Creature leaps onto the deck in freak accident

(NEWSER) - A stingray leapt out of the water and struck a 55-year-old Michigan woman who was sunbathing on the deck of a boat off the Florida Keys yesterday, CNN reports. The woman, who was with her husband and children, was knocked to the ground and pronounced dead at a local hospital. No word on the specific cause of death yet, but local reports say she was impaled through the neck by the 75 lb. ray's barb. More»

...in just the first 6 months of 2012

(NEWSER) - Come June, about 70,000 people will lose long-term unemployment benefits sooner than they expected, bumping the number of people who've had the rug pulled out from under them in the first six months of the year to nearly 500,000, the New York Times reports. Congress renewed its extended unemployment program in February , but reduced the maximum number of weeks from 99 to as low as 63. How quickly benefits disappear is determined largely by how much unemployment has increased recently, meaning hard-hit states like California, which has 11% unemployment, lost benefits early because things hadn't gotten worse. More»