The lifeless bodies of 20 people have been discovered on a boat in northern Brazil.
According to preliminary information, they were all Haitian immigrants, according to the Brazilian authorities, reported Agence France Presse (AFP).
The bodies, found in an advanced state of decomposition, showed signs of dehydration and hunger, indicating the dire circumstances in which these people found themselves, the Brazilian authorities told AFP.
The boat was spotted near the town of Braganca, on Brazil’s northern coast in the state of Para, prompting fishermen to alert the authorities, according to a federal police spokesman, according to an AFP dispatch.
“According to the civil police and forensic experts, there were 20 bodies. Braganca’s federal police chief, Alexandre Calvinho, said they were thought to be Haitian refugees,” the police told AFP.
Although initial assessments suggest that hunger and dehydration are potential causes of death, further investigation is required to confirm the exact circumstances and identities of the victims, said Brazilian authorities.
Forensic experts will carry out in-depth examinations to determine the details. Rescuers are taking the boat to the village of Vila Tamatateua, where the bodies will be removed and examined as part of the ongoing investigation, authorities said.
This discovery highlights the perilous journeys undertaken by migrants seeking to flee the worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti.
Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes because of the climate of terror that reigns in Haiti. Dozens of murders are recorded daily, forcing Haitians to flee their country en masse.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has highlighted the dire situation in Haiti, reporting more than 360,000 internally displaced persons and thousands of migrants forcibly returned to their home countries by neighboring countries in March alone, the French news agency recalled.
“Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, has become a frequent destination for Haitian migrants in recent years”, estimated the UN refugee agency last year.
The Bodies of 20 Haitian Migrants Found Aboard a Boat in Northern Brazil
