At least 40 people tragically lost their lives after a boat they were on caught fire off the coast of Haiti earlier this week, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), citing local authorities, as reported by CNN.
The vessel, carrying over 80 migrants, departed from Haiti on Wednesday and was heading towards Turks and Caicos. Haiti's Coast Guard managed to rescue 41 survivors from the incident.
IOM's chief of mission in Haiti, Gregoire Goodstein, attributed the tragedy to Haiti's deteriorating security situation and the lack of "safe and legal pathways for migration." He remarked, "Haiti's socio-economic situation is in agony. The extreme violence over the past months has only brought Haitians to resort to desperate measures even more."
Haiti is currently grappling with severe gang violence, a collapsing health system, and a scarcity of essential supplies. These dire conditions have driven many Haitians to undertake perilous journeys in search of safety and better opportunities. The crisis intensified earlier this year when escalating gang warfare led to the resignation of the previous government.
Data from the IOM indicates a significant rise in migration attempts by boat from Haiti following the surge in violence. Despite the worsening conditions, neighboring countries have continued to repatriate Haitian migrants in large numbers.
"More than 86,000 migrants have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries this year," the IOM reported. In March alone, forced returns spiked by 46 percent, reaching 13,000 amid rising violence and the closure of airports throughout Haiti.
In recent weeks, the appointment of new Prime Minister Garry Conille and the deployment of several hundred foreign forces to support Haiti's National Police have provided a glimmer of hope for addressing the country's security challenges.
The United Nations Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, led by Kenya, is set to commence operations in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, aiming to stabilize the volatile situation.