Turks and Caicos police assisted by the US Coast Guard were conducting a massive search Tuesday for 79 Haitians believed to still be missing after their boat capsized, according to dpa. Since Monday, a total of 113 would-be-illegal immigrants from Haiti have been rescued and transported to safety and nine passengers are confirmed dead in the waters of the West Indies, the US Coast Guard said in Miami. As many as 79 travellers were still missing, Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal told dpa. The boat was said to have been overloaded with as many as 200 migrants when it ran aground on a reef. The Coast Guard said the boat capsized on Monday. The Turks and Caicos Sun newspaper said the boat tipped and sank on Sunday on Molasses reef, off West Caicos. The US Coast Guard said it has deployed three aircraft, including an HC-130 Hercules and a helicopter, in response to a request for help from Turks and Caicos Islands officials on Monday.
