Seventeen individuals died after a boat carrying dozens of Haitian migrants capsized off the coast of The Bahamas, authorities mentioned on Sunday, as extra Haitians try to succeed in the USA to flee gang violence and poverty at house.
Rescue groups recovered the our bodies of 17 individuals, together with an toddler, and 25 individuals have been rescued, Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis informed a information convention. Davis mentioned authorities imagine they have been on a speedboat heading for Miami.
“It's believed that the vessel capsized in tough seas,” he mentioned.
As much as 60 individuals might have been on board and extra individuals have been presumed lacking, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander mentioned.
Bahamian authorities mentioned that two individuals have been taken into custody, each from Bahamas, over the suspected human smuggling operation. All these on board recovered alive or useless or who have been nonetheless lacking have been believed to be migrants from Haiti.
The Bahamas police mentioned the boat capsized some 7 miles (11 kilometers) off the island of New Windfall.
The Bahamas is a frequent transit route for Haitians looking for to succeed in the USA. Harmful sea voyages in rickety vessels have grow to be more and more frequent over the past 12 months as Haitians flee poverty and rising gang violence.
Immigration Minister Keith Bell mentioned survivors indicated that they paid between $3,000 and $8,000 for the voyage.
“We mourn lives misplaced of these looking for a greater lifestyle,” Bell mentioned. “These right here with households and buddies in Haiti, encourage your family members to not danger their lives.”
In Might, a boat carrying 842 Haitian migrants sure for the USA strayed off target and washed ashore alongside the north coast of Cuba as an alternative.
That very same month, 11 individuals drowned when a vessel carrying Haitian migrants capsized close to Puerto Rico.
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