At least 40 migrants have died and several others were injured after a boat they were traveling in caught fire off the northern coast of Haiti, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Friday.

The Haitian Coast Guard rescued 41 survivors from the blaze, with 11 of them hospitalized, some suffering from burns. A government official stated that the migrants were attempting to escape to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Fire Likely Caused by Ignited Gasoline Drums
The ill-fated boat, which had over 80 people on board, departed from the port of Labadee on Wednesday, embarking on a 150-mile journey to the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the IOM, citing Haiti's National Office for Migration.

Jean Henry-Petit, a Civil Protection official, suggested that the fire likely started when two drums of gasoline ignited. Witnesses reported that passengers were drinking rum and whiskey, which may have come into contact with the flammable substance, leading to the blaze, as per the Associated Press. Among the dead was the boat's captain, Arnold Jean, a spokesperson for the police in Cap-Haïtien, confirmed.

Rising Violence in Haiti Forcing People to Flee
This incident occurs amidst a surge of violence in Haiti, where criminal gangs are overpowering the police, prompting many to flee. Coordinated attacks by gang leaders have plagued the capital, Port-au-Prince, since February 29, resulting in theft and kidnappings for ransom.

A senior UN official informed the UN Security Council earlier this year that the first quarter of 2024 was the deadliest for Haitians, with approximately 2,500 people killed or injured in gang violence. The first three months of 2024 saw a 53% increase in casualties from the previous reporting period, making it the most violent period since the UN began recording statistics in January 2022.

Last month, the IOM revealed data indicating that nearly 580,000 people were internally displaced across Haiti, a 60% increase since March.

sp/rm (Reuters, AFP)