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Haiti - FLASH : Shipwreck at least 11 Haitians dead, 36 survivors, number of missing unknown
14/05/2022 06:32:46

On Thursday, May 12, 2022, Coast Guard observers received a communication at approximately 11:47 a.m. local time (1547 GMT) that the crew of a Customs and Border Protection aircraft had sighted in the Mona Channel (seaway separating the Dom. Rep. from Puerto Rico) 19 km north of the uninhabited islet of Desecheo, a capsized boat with a large number of people in the water...

The provisional toll of the sinking of this sailboat which was transporting illegal migrants is heavy : 11 Haitian women drowned, 36 Haitian survivors and 2 Dominicans, 8 of the migrants were hospitalized, announced the US Coast Guard on their Twitter account on Friday.

Several MH-60T helicopters were dispatched to the area from Borinquen Air Force Base and Coast Guard patrol vessel Joseph Tezanos. Personnel from the United Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) maritime units in the western municipalities of Aguadilla and Añasco also support the work of federal agencies.

The search for other possible survivors continues in the area of the sinking, the exact number of missing passengers is not known, some survivors say that there were 72 on the boat, others speak of 62. The authorities estimate that they would have had about 60 people on board.

Ricardo Castrodad, spokesman for the Coast Guard, said the number of casualties could increase as rescue efforts continue...

Reacting to the sinking Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry said "The news of the sinking of a boat off the coast of Puerto Rico which caused the death of 11 of our compatriots has deeply upset me. I extend my condolences to the families of the victims of this new tragedy which mourns us and plunges us into the greatest desolation."

Anyone who believes a family member traveled on the capsized sailboat and wants to verify if they are among the deceased can contact one of the forensic investigators by calling 787-765-0615.

Learn more about the Mona Canal :
The Mona Channel is a maritime strip that separates the Dominican Republic from Puerto Rico. It is a very busy migratory route to get to Puerto Rico or the United States. The Coast Guard announced that it had repatriated 44 Dominicans on a Dominican Navy vessel after two vessels were intercepted this week in the Mona Channel trying to illegally reach the west coast of Puerto Rico.

It is also the scene of shipwrecks like today. Three days ago the Coast Guard reported that they had rescued a total of 68 people and recovered the body of one who died after his boat sank.

SL/ S/ HaitiLibre