UN divers resumed searching yesterday for the bodies of hundreds of people feared drowned after an overcrowded ferry sank off Haiti's coast. Authorities have so far confirmed that 49 bodies have been recovered and that 62 people survived the sinking of La Fierte Gonavienne early on Monday off the port town of Montrouis.
President Rene Preval, joined by most of the members of his cabinet, was at the scene of the tragedy in Montrouis, 75 km north of the capital, comforting tearful families of those who died.
No official total of people aboard the ferry has been produced but as many as 500 bodies could be trapped in the wreck, according to some reports.
However, the Haiti Coast Guard said between 200 to 300 people were missing and the ship's captain, who survived the disaster, indicated that fewer than 100 passengers were unaccounted for. Divers who had visited the wreck recounted seeing some 50 bodies trapped inside.
The accident is the second major one of its kind in five years, and President Preval said he would take action "to make sure such catastrophes never happen again." He did not elaborate.
The ferry, reportedly a modern air-conditioned ship recently purchased in Florida, was bringing passengers to Montrouis from the nearby island of La Gonave in the Bay of Port-au-Prince when the disaster occurred before dawn.
Witnesses said the sinking was probably caused by overcrowding and excessive cargo aboard the boat.
"Twenty-two divers from the military and police units of the United Nations Mission on Haiti have begun diving down to the wreck of the ship, which is some 50 metres from the shore," a UN spokeswoman, Ms Patricia Tome, said. She said a tugboat would try to move the sunken ship closer to the coast to ease access.
A US Coast Guard spokesman, Mr Jeff Hall, quoting figures provided by the Haitian Coast Guard, said 200 to 300 people were missing and another 400 had been rescued. He said the boat was carrying some 700 passengers.
The ship's Cuban captain, Mr Eugenio Ramos, who was among the survivors, said there were 260 passengers on board.
The 60-metre Fierte Gonavienne (Pride of Gonave) was reportedly authorised to carry no more than 100 passengers.
Capt Ramos said he was turning the craft and about to lower the anchor when passengers moved to one side to climb into rowboats taking them to shore. As a result, the ferry took on water and capsized.
Three Canadian divers with the UN mission, who recovered 24 of 49 bodies from the wreck, said they saw "50 or so additional victims" through one of the portholes.
In Miami, the US Coast Guard said one of its helicopters had been dispatched to the area to join rescue operations. A US military support group in Haiti had supplied body bags, plastic gloves and masks, the Pentagon said.