Avellon Williams
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti– Some 20 people have been positively confirmed dead following s shipwreck that occurred just off the coast of Grosse Pointe, to the South-East.
This official announcement came by the Mayor of the town of Marigot, René Danneau, he said, a ship called Exlezias was seen laden with cement, food products, fuel, and a large number of passengers, wrecked off the coast of the locality of Grosse Pointe in the South-East department.
The Mayor informed that at least 20 people, including six women and two babies, died, adding that the ship was “overloaded” because in addition to people it was carrying goods, including bags of cement.
The extensive search continues for survivors, however, a fuel shortage in the department prevented the rescuers of the Service Maritime et de Navigation d’Haiti (SEMANAH) from coming to the aid of the victims in time and also slowed down the search process by the authorities.
Reacting to this tragedy Prime Minister Ariel Henry in an official statement said, “We learned, in pain and with emotion, the sad news of the sinking of a boat this morning, ensuring the Anse-a-Pitre/Marigot route and which resulted in the death of 20 of our compatriots.”
“We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and the Haitian people. Faced with this new tragedy which occurred in deplorable conditions, we wish to assure the families of the victims, as well as the survivors, of the full support of the Government and the local authorities.”
