MEXICO CITY — A ship carrying Haitian migrants apparently capsized off the Bahamas early Sunday, and Bahamian safety forces recovered the our bodies of 17 folks and rescued 25 others, authorities mentioned.
It wasn’t clear if there have been any folks lacking after the boat sank about seven miles from New Windfall.
Prime Minister Philip Courageous Davis mentioned in a press release that the useless included 15 girls, one man and an toddler. He mentioned the folks rescued had been taken for remark by well being employees.
Davis mentioned investigators had decided {that a} twin-engine pace boat left the Bahamas about 1 a.m. carrying as many as 60 folks, apparently sure for Miami.
He mentioned a felony investigation had begun into the suspected human smuggling operation.
“I wish to convey the condolences of my authorities and the folks of the Bahamas to the households of those that misplaced their lives on this tragedy,” Davis mentioned. “My authorities, from the time it got here to workplace, has warned in opposition to these treacherous voyages.”
Haiti is fighting a wave of gang-related violence together with sharp rises in killings and kidnappings, prodding a rising variety of folks to flee the nation of greater than 11 million searching for a greater and safer life.
A number of sinkings involving Haitian migrants have occurred this 12 months, together with one in Might by which 11 folks had been confirmed useless and 38 had been saved off Puerto Rico. One other incident in January noticed just one man rescued after a ship carrying 39 migrants went down off Florida, with the lacking by no means discovered.
Governments within the area, together with america, have reported a surge within the variety of Haitians detained making an attempt to enter different international locations.
