Update on: A 25 Ft Boat With 28 People Sank. 11 Dead,7 Alive,10 Missing

Agent-x - June 14 2012, 2:42 AM

According to freeport-nassauguardian-net on Wednesday 13 June 2012, Human smuggling was believed to be behind the boat capsize tragedy off North Abaco in which 11 people drowned.

Up to press time last night the police search and recovery team reported that no additional bodies were recovered and no survivors were found.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Loretta Mackey, PACO, confirmed that officers from the Central Detective Unit are on the ground in Abaco leading the investigations assisted by their Abaco counterparts.

Passengers are said to have paid $5,000 each for a place on board the Glory Time which had 28 Haitians on board when it went down in waters in the Hawksbill Cay area. on Sunday

Minister of National Security, Dr. Bernard J. Nottage revealed that the ill-fated trip from North Abaco destined for Florida was an attempted human smuggling exercise to get the illegal Haitian nationals into the United States.

Nottage told the House of Assembly he got his information from a Bahamian national of Haitian origin who was on board the vessel when it capsized.

Nine children, five women between the ages of 18 to 30 and 14 males were on board the 25 to 30 foot, two-engine vessel when it overturned in rough seas off the shore of Abaco.

Nottage noted a man who managed to swim ashore said he made efforts to save other passengers on the boat, but the sea was too rough.

Six others who survived the ordeal managed to swim ashore and then disappeared.

It is believed the boat got into trouble at about 8:00 p.m. when one of its two engines began cutting off, which slowed the vessel down.

Nottage revealed that on Monday at approximately 12:10 p.m., an anonymous caller contacted the Marsh Harbor police station and reported that a vessel with a number of what were believed to be Haitian nationals on board had capsized.

A team of police and defense force officers responded, and defense force officers discovered the capsized boat floating in waters between Mount Hope, Abaco and Fox Town, Abaco.

"A male resident of Crown Haven, Abaco, also went to the area on another vessel and was able to dive up from the sunken vessel, 11 bodies, all that appeared to be lifeless," Nottage said.

The Minister of National Security said eight persons who were seen in the Cooper's Town area and were believed to be associated with the capsized vessel were taken into custody and the recovered bodies were transported to the morgue in Now Providence.

"The last report is that 10 persons are missing and feared drowned," he said.

Nottage said the tragedy speaks to the ongoing challenges the country faces with illegal smuggling of migrants into and from The Bahamas.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been collaborating with the Haitian ambassador on this matter.

I am to publicly acknowledge and express gratitude to the United States government for its assistance, providing and making available assets of both the US Coast Guard and of OPBAT," he said.

"Notwithstanding the alleged illegality of the operation that resulted in this unfortunate loss of life, I am also on behalf of the government and the people of The Bahamas to extend sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

I trust that this unfortunate incident would further buttress the resolve of all right thinking persons to do all that is possible to bring to an end the smuggling of persons to and through our waters."
freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/308778430720210.php

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Boat carrying Haitian immigrants sinks off the Bahamas, 11 dead POSTED June 13, 2012 BY BNO News 0 Comments NASSAU, BAHAMAS (BNO NEWS) -- The bodies... more »