Police identify five Haitian victims of the deadly boating accident off Blackbeard’s Cay

Police identify five Haitian victims of the deadly boating accident off Blackbeard’s Cay
Survivors of the boating tragedy on Sunday, July 24, 2022. (Photo Credit: Royal Bahamas Defense Force)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police have identified five Haitian nationals among the 17 people who died in an alleged human smuggling operation last month.

A gray 30 ft. Mako Cuddy Cabin vessel carrying an estimated sixty (60) people capsized around 1.17am on July 24, 2022 in the area of Blackbeard’s Cay.

The victims have been identified as Mary Saimphorin; Kourtney Volmyr; Annette Mesidor; Bobley Fertilus; Altanice Ivroy.

Four men were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court last month for their suspected involvement in the operation.

McKenzie Jerome, 53, Donald Watson, 39, Eulan McKinney, 49, and Wilbens Joseph, 37, a Haitian national with a work permit, were charged with 18 counts of manslaughter for the unintentional death of 15 women, one girl toddler, one man, and a male fetus.

Watson and McKinney received an additional two charges of reckless operation of a craft.

The men will return to court on October 28. They were not required to enter pleas to the charges and were denied bail.