Survivors of a migrant boat that capsized perch on the overturned vessel off the coast of New Windfall island, Bahamas.
Royal Bahamas Defence Drive/Reuters
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Royal Bahamas Defence Drive/Reuters
Survivors of a migrant boat that capsized perch on the overturned vessel off the coast of New Windfall island, Bahamas.
Royal Bahamas Defence Drive/Reuters
Not less than 17 folks have died after a ship capsized shortly after midnight on Sunday within the Bahamas. Authorities mentioned the boat was doubtless transporting Haitian migrants throughout a suspected human smuggling operation sure for the USA.
An investigation into the incident continues to be underway, however authorities mentioned throughout a press convention that between 50 and 60 folks had been within the boat when it capsized roughly 7 miles off the coast of New Windfall island.
Officers recovered the our bodies of 16 females, together with a baby believed to be 4 or 5 years outdated, and one male. Authorities mentioned they had been capable of rescue 25 folks from the water. Between eight to 12 persons are believed to be lacking.
Three people who had been rescued are nonetheless being handled at a neighborhood hospital after the near-drowning incident, in accordance with Bahamian Performing Minister of Well being Ryan Pinder, who additionally serves because the legal professional normal.
Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis informed reporters that the preliminary investigation suggests two Bahamian residents had been trying to smuggle Haitian refugees into Miami, Fla.
“What occurred this morning was not an entry to the Bahamas, however reasonably an exit from the Bahamas, with emigrants who had been already right here,” Davis mentioned. “How they acquired right here, we’re not fairly certain, because the investigation continues to be persevering with.”
Two Bahamian residents concerned within the incident are in custody, officers mentioned.
Members of the Royal Bahamas Police and Royal Bahamas Defence Drive responded to experiences of a capsized vessel shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Deputy Commander Capt. Shonedel Pinder mentioned, which doubtless confronted “formidable climate circumstances.”
Pinder informed reporters that protection patrols and surveillance efforts have elevated in latest months. Because of this, there hasn’t been a profitable unlawful touchdown within the Bahamas in a number of months, he mentioned, which ought to dissuade human smugglers from future operations.
Immigration officers and Royal Bahamas cops detained 5 Haitian nationals final week after responding to experiences of an unlawful seashore touchdown on the west facet of Nassau. In accordance with an immigration division information launch, the people had been concerned with an tried human smuggling operation.
The Bahamas Division of Immigration has intercepted a minimum of 830 Haitian migrants because the starting of the yr, in accordance with numbers famous in information releases courting again to January. The perilous journeys have turn out to be extra frequent as Haitians flee ongoing political instability, gang violence and poverty of their house nation.
Bahamas Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell urged residents to discourage others from trying the journey in response to the latest tragedy at sea.
“We mourn lives misplaced of these in search of a greater lifestyle,” Bell informed Reuters. “These right here with households and buddies in Haiti, encourage your family members to not danger their lives.”
Though there was a rise of vessels carrying migrants in latest months, Davis mentioned, the Bahamas is sort of all the time not their ultimate vacation spot. As a rule, the islands are a midpoint for these fleeing Haiti for the USA, he mentioned.
Simply final month, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued practically 100 Haitian males, ladies and kids aboard an motionless stranded vessel off the coast of Florida. The vessel was discovered roughly 40 miles southeast of Islamorada within the Florida Keys, a Coast Guard information launch mentioned. Over 6,000 Haitian migrants had been intercepted by Coast Guard crews between October 2021 and June 2022.
