“We mourn the loss of lives of those who sought a better life,” said Bahamian Immigration Secretary Keith Bell. “I would ask anyone who has family and friends here in Haiti to encourage their loved ones there not to risk their lives.”
The Bahamas police said the migrant ship disappeared in the waves 11 kilometers off the coast of New Providence. The archipelago is often a stopover for migrants from Haiti who are fleeing poverty and want to go to the US. The sea route is dangerous and the vessels used are often rickety.