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| At Least 30 Haitians Die After Boat Capsizes | |
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| MIAMI — At least 30 Haitians who tried to sail to the United States were found drowned on Tuesday after their overloaded boat ran aground off the Bahamas and capsized, several days after fishermen tipped off Bahamian military authorities about the vessel. | |
| The Bahamian military had been unable to conduct air searches for the boat, a 40-foot sloop dangerously packed with immigrants, because all three of its planes were out of service, a defense spokesman said. The Royal Bahamas Defense Force conducted an unsuccessful search by sea and notified the United States Coast Guard about it on Monday afternoon, after six survivors who had paddled to shore on a raft were apprehended. They said the ship ran aground on Saturday. | The Bahamian military had been unable to conduct air searches for the boat, a 40-foot sloop dangerously packed with immigrants, because all three of its planes were out of service, a defense spokesman said. The Royal Bahamas Defense Force conducted an unsuccessful search by sea and notified the United States Coast Guard about it on Monday afternoon, after six survivors who had paddled to shore on a raft were apprehended. They said the ship ran aground on Saturday. |
| About an hour after deploying a helicopter, the Coast Guard found the boat 15 nautical miles from Harvey Cay, and 20 miles from where the fishermen first reported seeing it. The spot is about 250 miles southeast of Miami. | About an hour after deploying a helicopter, the Coast Guard found the boat 15 nautical miles from Harvey Cay, and 20 miles from where the fishermen first reported seeing it. The spot is about 250 miles southeast of Miami. |
| About 60 people were clinging to the sailboat and dozens more were standing in waist-high water, the Coast Guard said. No one had life jackets. The passengers, at sea since Nov. 18, had run out of food and water. | About 60 people were clinging to the sailboat and dozens more were standing in waist-high water, the Coast Guard said. No one had life jackets. The passengers, at sea since Nov. 18, had run out of food and water. |
| The Coast Guard hoisted 13 people to shore and, during the night, dropped food, water and eight life rafts to the others. | The Coast Guard hoisted 13 people to shore and, during the night, dropped food, water and eight life rafts to the others. |
| After an all-night journey, 108-foot Bahamian Navy vessel arrived at first light Tuesday and rescued 110 people, including 19 women. | After an all-night journey, 108-foot Bahamian Navy vessel arrived at first light Tuesday and rescued 110 people, including 19 women. |
| “They are in pretty bad shape,” said Lt. Cmdr. Doug Jannusch of the Coast Guard, who is stationed in the Bahamas. “That’s probably why they had so many fatalities. A lot of them died of exposure. The water was cool, with the wind, they couldn’t stand it anymore.” | “They are in pretty bad shape,” said Lt. Cmdr. Doug Jannusch of the Coast Guard, who is stationed in the Bahamas. “That’s probably why they had so many fatalities. A lot of them died of exposure. The water was cool, with the wind, they couldn’t stand it anymore.” |
| By Tuesday evening, five bodies had been recovered and 25 to 30 more were still in the water, said Lt. Origin Deleveaux, a spokesman for the Royal Bahamas Defense Force. | By Tuesday evening, five bodies had been recovered and 25 to 30 more were still in the water, said Lt. Origin Deleveaux, a spokesman for the Royal Bahamas Defense Force. |
| The survivors were being taken to the Coral Harbor military base and face probable deportation. | The survivors were being taken to the Coral Harbor military base and face probable deportation. |
| The episode was the latest in a series of shipwrecks involving Haitian migrants, who pay smugglers to ferry them across dangerous waters to the United States in vessels that are often unseaworthy. Many of the boats sail through the Bahamas, with passengers from as far away as Brazil. | The episode was the latest in a series of shipwrecks involving Haitian migrants, who pay smugglers to ferry them across dangerous waters to the United States in vessels that are often unseaworthy. Many of the boats sail through the Bahamas, with passengers from as far away as Brazil. |
| “This is just another example that highlights the dangers of illegal migration and taking to the sea,” said Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma of the Coast Guard said in Miami. “The sea is unforgiving. These are dangerous vessels. They are unbalanced, overloaded, and they are not stable.” | “This is just another example that highlights the dangers of illegal migration and taking to the sea,” said Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma of the Coast Guard said in Miami. “The sea is unforgiving. These are dangerous vessels. They are unbalanced, overloaded, and they are not stable.” |
| The Coast Guard and several Haitian-American organizations in Miami plan a series of public service announcements on Creole-language radio stations next week, urging family members not to fund the perilous journeys. The campaign was prompted by a recent surge in interceptions and fatalities. | The Coast Guard and several Haitian-American organizations in Miami plan a series of public service announcements on Creole-language radio stations next week, urging family members not to fund the perilous journeys. The campaign was prompted by a recent surge in interceptions and fatalities. |
| The number of Haitians caught by the Coast Guard crossing the Mona Passage, between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, soared this year, rising to 2,139 so far, from 112 last year, Commander Jannusch said. | |
| Four Haitian women died in October when their ship capsized off Miami Beach. The captain and a crew member were charged in the United States. | Four Haitian women died in October when their ship capsized off Miami Beach. The captain and a crew member were charged in the United States. |
| Also in October, a Brazilian woman drowned trying to make it to a Palm Beach shore after making the journey from the Bahamas with people from Ecuador and Haiti. | Also in October, a Brazilian woman drowned trying to make it to a Palm Beach shore after making the journey from the Bahamas with people from Ecuador and Haiti. |
| A Haitian teenage girl also drowned in Palm Beach in August. | A Haitian teenage girl also drowned in Palm Beach in August. |
| “This has been an issue for the defense forces, because we have 100,000 square miles of waters and an issue because the geographical makeup of the Bahamas makes it very, very difficult to patrol our waters,” Lieutenant Deleveaux said. | “This has been an issue for the defense forces, because we have 100,000 square miles of waters and an issue because the geographical makeup of the Bahamas makes it very, very difficult to patrol our waters,” Lieutenant Deleveaux said. |
| Last year, Bahamian authorities stopped 1,330 migrants at sea, while the latest voyage puts the number this year at more than 1,400, he said. | Last year, Bahamian authorities stopped 1,330 migrants at sea, while the latest voyage puts the number this year at more than 1,400, he said. |
| “During this time of the year, there is always a spike,” Lieutenant Deleveaux said. “Even though the weather conditions are not favorable, we find persons will take the journey. We could surmise the situation in Haiti is not getting better — it may be getting worse — so they risk life and limb in search of a better life.” | “During this time of the year, there is always a spike,” Lieutenant Deleveaux said. “Even though the weather conditions are not favorable, we find persons will take the journey. We could surmise the situation in Haiti is not getting better — it may be getting worse — so they risk life and limb in search of a better life.” |
| He defended the defense forces’ response to the operation, because the initial report did not require a search and rescue operation. The vast expanse of water made finding the boat hard, he said. The aircraft that are out for service have been down for weeks “but not months,” he said. | He defended the defense forces’ response to the operation, because the initial report did not require a search and rescue operation. The vast expanse of water made finding the boat hard, he said. The aircraft that are out for service have been down for weeks “but not months,” he said. |
| “It is not like the people who call in give us GPS coordinates,” he said, adding that sometimes informers give false information just so military aircraft can be deployed in the opposite direction of illegal activity. “Looking for a vessel like that is like a needle in a haystack. There is a lot of water out there, believe me.” | |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: November 26, 2013 | Correction: November 26, 2013 |
An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect rank for Gabe Somma, a Coast Guard spokesman. He is a lieutenant commander, not a lieutenant. | An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect rank for Gabe Somma, a Coast Guard spokesman. He is a lieutenant commander, not a lieutenant. |