At least 11 people have drowned after a ship carrying Haitian migrants capsized near Puerto Rico, the US Coast Guard said on Thursday. At 6 p.m. local time, 31 survivors had also been found.
It is not yet known how many people in total were on board the vessel that was discovered ten nautical miles north of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico.
The survivors were taken to Puerto Rico, where eight of them are being treated in hospital. At nightfall, the Coast Guard was still searching the area around the accident for more survivors.
Migrants, especially from Haiti, have been trying to escape gang violence and poverty in recent months. To get away, they often opt for risky voyages on ships that are not seaworthy.