UN confirms several dead as boat fire breaks out near Haiti

UNITED NATIONS, CMC – At least 40 migrants have died after a boat carrying them caught fire off Cap Haitien, the United Nations confirmed on Friday.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a daily briefing that the boat, carrying more than 80 people, set out from Labadee two days ago on a 250-kilometre journey to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“We have tragic news from northern Haiti. Our colleagues from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) say at least 40 migrants have died and several others have been injured after their boat caught fire off Cap Haitien,” Haq said.

“The 41 surviving migrants on board were rescued by the Haitian Coast Guard and are currently receiving medical care, food, water and psychosocial support from IOM in support of the country’s authorities. Eleven migrants were taken to the nearest hospital for medical treatment, including for burns,” he added.

IOM’s head of mission in Haiti, Gregoire Goldstein, said the devastating event demonstrated the urgent need for safe and legal pathways for migration.

The International Organization for Migration says more than 86,000 migrants have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries this year.

Meanwhile, Haq said UN teams are continuing to support authorities in Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica in their response to Hurricane Beryl.

“In Grenada and St. Vincent, our teams are participating in rapid assessments. They are also helping to deliver humanitarian supplies, restore power and health services, and support activities such as shelter management.”

Haq said the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York hosted a briefing for member states on Friday on the impact of the hurricane and the response.

“We heard from the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, and representatives of other affected governments, the Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Springert, and the Executive Director of Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management, Elizabeth Riley, among others,” Haq said.