At least 40 migrants have died and several have been injured after a boat with over 80 people caught fire off Cap-Haïtien on Haiti's northern coast, reports the UN's migration agency IOM. The boat was headed towards the British Turks- and Caicos Islands, a journey of approximately 25 miles.
The Haitian coast guard reports that 41 people have been rescued, of which 11 are injured and are receiving hospital care.
Since the end of February, when new violence broke out in the capital Port-au-Prince, more and more residents have tried to leave the country by boat, according to IOM.
"Lack of opportunities to provide for oneself, a collapsed healthcare system, school closures, and a lack of future prospects have forced many people to consider migration as a way to survive," writes IOM in a statement.
