The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

BASRA Operations Manager Chris Lloyd said yesterday that the lack of boating experience and "pure greed" led to the deaths of Haitians in waters off North Abaco Sunday night.

Mr Lloyd said the people who died could have survived if the captain had been experienced and not motivated by money.

"The captain's greed caused him to overload a boat designed to hold eight people with more than 25. It was incredibly overloaded. He also tried to navigate in shallow rough seas at night in an area where the water is extremely bad. Either they were extremely clever or extremely naive. They were obviously not boating experts. We are not too sure if the boat just gave out because of the weight, or if they hit something. But that boat that was supposed to be 25 feet stood no chance."

Mr Lloyd's comments came after the search and rescue efforts turned to search and recovery.

"I understood the Coast Guard is now doing recovery, meaning they do not think anyone else is alive in the water. Eleven persons have been recovered so far in shallow, clear waters. We have been searching all night and day and did not recover any survivors. We may never know the exact number of all those on the vessel, but as best we know they have all been recovered," he said.

"The saddest part of this tragedy is that it happened Sunday evening but we did not got official word until Monday evening. In matters like these time is of the essence. By the time Basra, the Coast Guard, the Defence Force and other officials got to Abaco, good Samaritans and the police from Fox Town had already responded and were trying to help."

Mr Lloyd said it is always difficult to determine just how many people were on the boat because on voyages like these the passengers usually meet for the first time when they get on the boat.

He said only the captain would know that information and no one will ever come forward and admit to being the captain for fear of being prosecuted.