Authorities in Port-au-Prince said on June 4 (BNA): One person died and 14 others were rescued after an overcrowded boat capsized without permission near the southern coast of Haiti.
Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency reported that one person among the survivors was hospitalized in critical condition. The Associated Press reported that authorities were still searching for an unspecified number of people.
The boat departed late Friday from the town of Anse Pieters, near the border that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic. Auguste Sonny, an inspector with the Haitian Maritime and Navigation Service, said the plane capsized while heading west to the southern coastal town of Marigot.
He told the Associated Press that the boat was loaded with 600 bags of flour and more than 15 people, so he was not authorized to leave the port due to its heavy load and reported the situation to his superiors.
Sonny said the captain ignored his orders and drove off, insisting he get people to Marigot.
“It’s a pity the captain didn’t listen,” he said.
Heavy rain has been falling in Haiti since late Friday, and stormy weather is expected to continue into late Saturday.
MI