Coral Harbour Base, 6 FEB. ‘19 (RBDF): Another body was retrieved from the waters in Abaco today as joint efforts continue after a boat with Haitian nationals aboard ran aground on Saturday past.
The body was located near Man O’ War Cay on Wednesday afternoon by local boaters who are assisting in the search and recovery efforts.
This additional discovery now brings the count to 30, the number of Haitian nationals who have perished when a 40-foot conventional sailing yacht ran aground.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force patrol craft HMBS Durward Knowles, along with military divers, local authorities (Police, Immigration and boat operators continue to comb the areas in a joint search and recovery effort.
Search efforts are expected to continue as authorities continue their investigations into this tragic incident.
Original
Coral Harbour Base, 4 FEB. ‘19 (RBDF): Police and Immigration officials are continuing their investigations into this tragic loss of a number of undocumented Haitian nationals after their vessel sunk in waters off Abaco Island early Saturday morning.
Royal Bahamas Defence (RBDF) divers, along with local authorities and dive operators also continued their dive operations today in the area where the sunken vessel was spotted by a US Coast Guard aircraft six miles off the coast of Marsh Harbour on Sunday. However, there have been no new developments.
The Haitian men and women were aboard a 40-foot conventional sailing yacht when it ran aground early Saturday morning outside the entrance of Marsh Harbour channel. The RBDF along with local authorities (Police and Immigration), a US Coast Guard aircraft, and boat operators rescued 18 Haitians, and recovered bodies from nearby waters.
The rescued persons and 27 bodies were subsequently transported to the clinic in Marsh Harbour for evaluation, and handed over to Immigration and police officials for further investigation.
