At Least 5 Dead as Haitian Refugee Boat Capsizes; Many Lost
A boat carrying 20 to 40 would-be Haitian refugees to Florida capsized in shark-infested waters off the Bahamas on Sunday. At least five people died, authorities said.
Only three people were known to have reached the safety of a beach off Green Turtle Cay, northeast of Great Abaco Island, said duty officer Rhonda Whaton of the Bahamas Air-Sea Rescue.
“It’s very gruesome,” she said. “Unfortunately, there are sharks very active in the area.”
The known dead were a woman and four children, Whaton said. She could not confirm if anyone was attacked by sharks.
The 23-foot boat capsized during the night and was spotted about midday by an American sailing vessel, she said.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and three Bahamian boats were searching for survivors Sunday. No additional survivors had been found by Sunday evening, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Alex Worden in Miami.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
