40 migrants dead after boat catches fire off Haiti

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - At least 40 Haitian migrants died and several others were injured after a boat they were traveling in caught fire off Cap Haitien, in the northern coast of Haiti, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday.

“IOM deeply laments the death of at least 40 migrants after a boat caught fire off the coast of Cap Haitien, Haiti. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the migrants’ families and are working to assist the survivors of this tragedy,” the IOM said in a press release.

The boat that caught fire with more than 80 Haitians left the port of Labadee on Wednesday en route to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Forty-one migrants who were rescued by the Haitian Coast Guard are currently receiving medical care. Eleven were hospitalized for treatment, including burns.

The fire apparently started when two drums of gasoline ignited, Civil Protection official Jean Henry-Petit said. The captain of the boat died in the tragic accident.

“This devastating event highlights the risks faced by children, women, and men migrating through irregular routes, demonstrating the crucial need for safe and legal pathways for migration.” said Gregoire Goodstein, IOM’s chief of mission in the country.

Haiti has been grappling with a wave of violence by gangs that are terrorizing the population with killings, kidnappings, rapes and attacks. Violent gangs control up to 80 per cent of the country´s capital of Port-au-Prince.

The UN estimates that about 580,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since March due to the latest surge of violence .

“For the vast majority of Haitians, regular migration is an extremely challenging journey to consider, let alone pursue, leaving many seeing irregular migration as their only option, a particularly life-threatening one in most instances,” said the IOM.

Countries in the region, including the United States, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Jamaica, have reported a growing number of boats coming from Haiti. The IOM says that more than 86,000 migrants have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries this year.

The Haitian police have said they are searching for the people responsible for organizing the clandestine trips.