40 migrants killed as boat catches fire off Haiti coast
July 20, 2024 08:18
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At least 40 people were killed after the boat they were on board caught fire off the coast of Haiti earlier this week, the International Organisation for Migration has said, citing local authorities, CNN reported.
The vessel carrying more than 80 migrants departed from Haiti on Wednesday and was heading to Turks and Caicos, the IOM said on Friday, adding that Haiti's Coast Guard rescued 41 survivors.
According to CNN, IOM's chief of mission in Haiti, Gregoire Goodstein, blamed the tragedy on Haiti's spiralling security crisis and the lack of "safe and legal pathways for migration."
He said, "Haiti's socio-economic situation is in agony. The extreme violence over the past months has only brought Haitians to resort to desperate measures even more."
Haiti is dealing with gang violence, a collapsing health system, and a lack of access to essential supplies, resulting in many Haitians taking dangerous journeys to move out of the country.
Earlier this year, the situation in Haiti escalated after gang warfare exploded, forcing the resignation of the then-government.
According to the IOM's data, the number of migration attempts by boat from Haiti has witnessed a rise since then. -- ANI
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