Boat Carrying 20 Dead Bodies Found Drifting In Turks And Caicos

A boat carrying 20 dead bodies including two children was found floating about a mile off Grand Turk island.

Fishermen spotted the boat drifting on Thursday, June 24, and alerted the marine branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.

"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," Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said.

Investigators have ruled out the possibility of foul play but are investigating to determine how the deaths occurred, said Takara Bain, a communications officer with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.

"Work is now underway to establish their identity, the cause of death and the circumstances that led them to be found in the Turks and Caicos Islands waters," a statement from the police said.

"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," the release stated.

Botting said that the investigation "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. We will do all we can to identify them and contact their families," the commissioner said.

"In dealing with this situation, I want to pay tribute to my policing team on Grand Turk and those from Health and other TCIG agencies who assisted in the recovery of the bodies. This incident was a human tragedy and a very distressing scene," he added.

Thousands of Haitians have reportedly fled their poverty-stricken country and migrated to the Turks and Caicos seeking a better life.

On Friday, June 25, Marine Branch Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force intercepted a 40ft vessel carrying 43 "irregular migrants".

"The 34 males, eight females, and one minor were handed over to the Immigration Task Force for processing and repatriation," an official press release from the force said.

The Haitian refugee crisis began in 1991 after the democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was overthrown and the military government began persecuting his followers.