At least 20 bodies have been recovered, some partially eaten by sharks, and 58 people remain missing after a boat loaded with Haitian migrants capsized Friday in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas.
Survivors told police there had been about 150 people aboard the seven-metre boat when it capsized early Friday, about a kilometre south of Providenciales Island, part of the Turks and Caicos, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The boat capsized about a kilometre south of Providenciales Island, part of the Turks and Caicos, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
(CBC)
Officials said 63 of them were rescued almost immediately after their boat overturned.
A police boat, guided by a coast guard helicopter, also later rescued 10 people who were found clinging to the hull of the capsized vessel.
"Right now, we've rescued 73, and there are 20 dead," U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Barry Bena told CBC News Friday.
A C-130 aircraft has been deployed from Clearwater, Fla., and a cutter to assist in the search. Seas are calm and ideal to conduct a search, Bena said: "We believe we can find more."
Earlier reports by the coast guard said the boat capsized while being towed to safety by a Turks and Caicos police boat, but local authorities denied that.
Perilous crossing
An Associated Press reporter saw about 12 bodies that had been pulled from the water and brought to South Dock, on Providenciales, about 200 kilometres north of Haiti. Some of the corpses reportedly had limbs chewed off.
Each year, hundreds of Haitians attempt the perilous water crossing in rickety boats to gain access to a better life in the United States. But unlike their Cuban counterparts, the Haitians are not eligible for the so-called wet foot/dry foot rule, which grants legal status to Cuban migrants who reach U.S. soil.
Since January, 909 Haitians have been intercepted, including 195 in May, the coast guard said.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
Video
- Neil Macdonald reports for CBC-TV (Runs: 1:51)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
More World Headlines »
- Kenya's opposition party to defy protest ban
- Kenya's opposition party leader vowed to push forward with a banned protest in the country's capital Thursday, amid fears that the march could worsen a wave of brutal political and ethnic violence.
- Pakistan asks Scotland Yard to help probe Bhutto's death
- Pakistan has asked Britain's Scotland Yard to help investigate the killing of Benazir Bhutto, President Pervez Musharraf said hours after officials announced a six-week election delay.
- U.S. begins probe into CIA's destruction of videotapes
- The U.S. Justice Department opened a criminal investigation Wednesday into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes and Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed an outside prosecutor to oversee the case.
- Al-Qaeda says it's behind fatal bombing in Algeria
- The North African arm of al-Qaeda says it is responsible for a suicide bombing in Algeria Wednesday that killed at least four people.
- Vatican plans 'historic' meeting between Catholics, Muslims
- Roman Catholic and Muslim representatives plan to meet in Rome in the spring to start a "historic" dialogue between their respective faiths and ease tensions provoked by Pope Benedict's 2006 comments about Islam and holy war, Vatican officials said.
World Features
Blog Watch
Most Blogged about CBC.ca Articles
Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - link will open in new window