Foul play alleged in deadly Haitian migrant journey

The few Haitian survivors of a boat capsized in the Caribbean that killed 61 migrants claimed that they were rammed by a patrol ship from the Turks and Caicos Islands. According to one survivor’s account to the Associated Press:

“‘When they hit us the first time, water rushed into the boat and everybody screamed,’ (survivor Dona) Daniel said. The patrol boat crew ordered the migrants to lower their sails, threw them a line and began towing them into deeper water. The boat then capsized, he said.”

As we mentioned several times last week, the ship was eventually found by the U.S. Coast Guard (image) and the death toll gradually increased. The incident reflects Coast Guard worries that record numbers of Haitian migrants trying to cross the Caribbean towards the U.S. will not let up.

Links- BBC News, International Herald Tribune, The Latin Americanist

Image- CNN