Grief counsellors called in as rescue efforts end in migrant boating tragedy

Two survivors had work permits

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Immigration Minister Keith Bell said grief counsellors will be invited to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre today to talk to the shell-shocked survivors of the deadly weekend boating accident. 

“They’re still in a state of shock,” Bell told Eyewitness News yesterday. 

His comment came as authorities continued to investigate the tragedy, with police arresting a third Bahamian suspect in connection with the alleged human smuggling operation that killed 17 people in waters off Blackbeard Cay. 

Bell said thus far officials have confirmed that at least one of the 25 survivors is in possession of a valid work permit that allows her to be in the country lawfully. 

“Another had a work permit that expired,” he said, adding that officials are awaiting information from the police about the status of the other people. 

Meanwhile, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force changed the status of their investigation from search and rescue to search and recovery, noting the unlikelihood that they can still find people alive after the worst boating accident of its kind since 2019. 

RBDF Commander William Sturrup said yesterday’s investigation involved surface and submersible searches of the waters off Blackbeard Cay. 

He said officers were assisted by a drone system it has available and he led reporters on an observation of the drone system. 

“The stage that we are in now (is) search and recovery,” he said. “When we run the numbers we look at the probability of survival and when those chances are slim we take many factors into consideration, whether individuals had on a flotation device, whether they can swim and how long can they last without food and water. And when we put the numbers, those numbers are low and we go into search and recovery mode and that’s where we are.”

Sturrup said officials have not found additional bodies or relevant objects since their initial search in the hours after the accident. He said the search area now extends from Blackbeard Cay to nearly the  Berry Islands. 

“We will continue searching until we find something or until the probability of finding something is zero to nil,” he said. “We’re in recovery mode. After recovery mode there’s one more mode. After recovery mode we have to suspend the search. We’re not saying we’re not looking for them anymore but once the search is suspended all of our assets trafficking through this area or civilian traffic will be on the lookout for anything.”

He said the data of the computer generated system officials use will determine when the search efforts should be suspended. 

While authorities said on Sunday that they believe up to 60 people were on the capsized vessel, Sturrup said officials now believe that number is 45. 

“Our information suggests there were 45 persons on the vessel so we’re looking for three but there’s also the possibility that those figures can be incorrect so we’re just looking for bodies. The number, whether it’s three, eight or ten, we just want to find them,” he said.