A boat carrying around 20 dead people was found floating in the waters off Grand Turk island near Turks and Caicos Thursday, police announced.
A local fisherman spotted the boat early Thursday morning and reported it to the marine branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force, CBS News reported. Authorities towed the boat back to shore where they discovered the deceased persons.
Two deceased children were also found on board, according to The Associated Press (AP). (RELATED: Canadian Sentenced For Smuggling Illegal Immigrants Into America For Pay)
“Whilst the deaths are unexplained, there is no indication of foul play, and Investigators are keeping an open mind as to how these people met their deaths,” police said in a statement posted to Facebook.
20 people, including 2 children, found dead on boat drifting in Turks and Caicos
https://t.co/CaCyW0Pn0Y— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 28, 2021
“It is believed that the boat originates from outside of the Caribbean Region and that neither the Turks and Caicos Islands nor the Region was their intended destination. My investigators are working to establish their identities and how they met their death,” Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said in a statement. “This work will take some time to complete. Whatever the circumstances, this is a tragic situation where many people have lost their lives, and the thoughts and prayers of the Force go out to those families who have lost a loved one.”
“This incident was a human tragedy and a very distressing scene,” he added.
Haitians fleeing poverty often leave for Turks and Caicos through human traffickers, The AP noted. However, it is unclear whether the deceased 20 individuals originated from Haiti.