Topline
At least 17 people died—including an infant—when a boat carrying Haitian migrants capsized near the Bahamas, officials said Sunday, marking the latest deadly incident involving migrants at sea as more people try to enter the U.S. by boat.
Refugees of Hurricane Dorian arrive at the Kendal GL Isaacs National Gym on September 6, 2019, in … [+]
Key Facts
Authorities in the Bahamas said in a press conference they believe the migrants were on a speedboat destined for Miaimi, and were about seven miles off the coast of New Providence—the country’s largest island, where the capital city of Nassau is located—when the boat capsized in rough waters.
Rescue teams saved 25 survivors, but as many as 60 people may have been on board and many are presumed missing, officials said.
One of the 17 who died was an infant, Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis said during the Sunday afternoon news conference.
Two Bahamian nationals have been taken into custody over their suspected role in smuggling the people on board, according to Reuters.
Survivors said they paid as much as $8,000 for the voyage, the Bahamas’ immigration minister Keith Bell said Sunday.
Key Background
Many Haitian migrants heading toward the U.S. pass through the Bahamas. The number of Haitians attempting to migrate by boat increased dramatically last year, according to the United Nations, which noted many people are trying to escape and worsening gang violence, especially in Port-au-Prince, the capital city. While most undocumented immigrants attempt to enter the U.S. through the border with Mexico, the volume of sea voyages is increasing. In the 2021 fiscal year, the Coast Guard recorded 14,529 undocumented immigrants from all countries who tried to enter the U.S. by sea, nearly double the 7,583 counted in 2020 and 7,093 in 2019.
Tangent
In January, more than 30 people were lost at sea after a boat involved in a suspected human smuggling operation capsized off the coast of Florida, according to the Coast Guard.
Further Reading
At least 17 dead after boat carrying Haitian migrants capsizes in The Bahamas (Reuters)
Coast Guard Will Call Off Search For Over 30 People From Capsized Boat Off Florida (Forbes)
Coast Guard Calls Off Search For Missing Cuban Migrants After Boat Capsizes Off Florida (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/07/24/17-haitian-migrants-possibly-bound-for-florida-die-after-boat-capsizes-near-bahamas/