The bodies of three people were found inside the hull of a 24-foot boat that capsized 75 miles northeast of West Palm Beach, Fla. on Thursday, the Coast Guard said.
Seven other people were rescued from atop the hull of the overturned center-console vessel carrying suspected migrants.
A Coast Guard rescue team aboard a HC-130 plane was still searching for two missing people on Thursday afternoon.
The vessel was first discovered by the Royal Netherlands Navy ship Zeeland, which was en route to Key West, Fla. on its way to the Caribbean, Coast Guard spokeswoman Marilyn Fajardo told NBC News.
The seven people rescued remain on board the Zeeland. Where they originated from remained unknown, Fajardo said. The incapacitated boat was hauled aboard the Zeeland.
The Coast Guard Cutter Etheridge, a 153-foot ship, was expected to arrive at the scene of the capsizing Thursday evening to assist in the search for the missing people as well as treatment of the suspected migrants.
It was unknown how long the boat had been at sea.
