National

One Week Since Migrant Souls Were Lost

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – It’s been one week since a group Haitian migrants lost their lives in an attempt at illegal entry into Florida using Bahamian waters. In this report, we recap the tragedy.

Published

4 years ago

July 31, 2022

Our News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – It’s been one week since a group Haitian migrants lost their lives in an attempt at illegal entry into Florida using Bahamian waters. Investigations continue into what is now deemed human smuggling. In this report, we recap the tragedy.

On Sunday, July 24th police received reports of a twin engine vessel that capsized some seven miles off New Providence.

The vessel left a docking facility off West Bay Street around one o’clock that morning with some 60 people onboard with hopes to make it to Miami, Florida but were unsuccessful due to rough seas.

Now, immediately following the tragedy the search continued for the bodies of the victims with the search widened from Blackbeards Cay to the Berry Islands. Up until July 26th, no additional bodies were found.

Initially 17 bodies were pulled from the water by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force while 25 Haitian migrants were rescued and turned over to immigration officials. The minister responsible for immigration confirming that two of the survivors were in possession of work permits which will be cancelled.

The prime minister, the Hon. Philip Brave Davis condemning the act of human smuggling as he says it is a serious crime.

Police telling Our News that one of the men who captained the boat has an international criminal record and as a result of their findings, 53-year-old McKenzie Jerome, 39-year-old Donald Watson, 49-year-old Eulen McKinney, and 37-year-old Wilber Joseph were charged with 18 counts of manslaughter.

Watson and McKinney were also hit with a charge of reckless operation of a craft and craft operators to be licensed.

A prominent member of the Haitian community, Victory Chapel Church of the Nazarene Senior Pastor Dr. Antoine St. Louis, visited the Detention Center where the survivors of the tragic incident at sea are being held. He took care packages for the survivors and prayed with them.

Now no word yet as to when the migrants will be repatriated to Haiti. Investigations are continuing.