Wednesday at dawn, the Turks and Caicos authorities (southeastern Bahamas and 240 miles north of Haiti) intercepted off Providenciales, an overloaded boat carrying about 50 people of Haitian origin, suspected illegal immigrants, and escorted the boat towards the coast, according to a government spokesman. While the boat was about a hundred meters from the coast it suddenly capsized. If the overload is a likely cause of the incident, survivors have told Karlo Pelissier, the Consul of Haiti in Turks and Caicos Islands, that several persons tried to jump into the water, as they approached the coast, which would unbalanced the boat.

33 people [20 men, 1 child 12 years and 12 women] have been rescued while 17 victims were reported. Research operations and of rescue in the darkness of early morning and a helicopter of the U.S. Coast Guard was dispatched to assist the authorities. Divers continued the search, but the authorities do not expect a worsening of the balance sheet. Survivors, tired but in good health, were taken to a center for migrants before being repatriated to Haiti in in the coming days.

"Originally most of Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien in the north of the country, migrants took the start on Sunday evening," said the Consul of Haiti. "Everyone has paid between 500 and 1,000 U.S. dollars, hoping to reach Miami, the Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos, where there is a Haitian community well established, working in the areas of construction, tourism and services."

"We are saddened by this tragedy and offer our condolences and prayers to the families and friends of the victims of this accident," declared Salim Succar one of Adviser to the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe.

HL/ HaitiLibre