11.00am UPDATE: MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell expressed his deep regret and sadness over the deaths of 30 Haitian nationals who drowned at sea in the Exuma chain on Monday.

Mr Mitchell said this tragic story continues with too much regularity despite strenuous efforts to stop and discourage it.

"This is a human tragedy. The government is seeking to hold urgent talks with all the surrounding stakeholders and governments within the next few days with a view again to taking additional measures to discourage the smuggling of human beings through Bahamian waters. In the mean time, we again urge people not to take the risky journeys on the high seas which too often lead to the loss of life and the tragedy that occurred in the Exuma Cays. We will seek to take additional measures to seek to prosecute those who are responsible for these illegal journeys," Minister Mitchell said.

According to the US Coast Guard, 90 people have been rescued and brought to the capital.

By PACO NUNEZ

Tribune News Editor

pnunez@tribunemedia.net

AT LEAST 30 Haitians have died in Bahamian waters in what the Defence Force is describing as the worst immigration disaster in years.

The migrants’ attempt to escape conditions in their own country turned tragic when their packed 40-foot sloop ran aground and capsized off the Exuma chain during stormy weather over the weekend.

At press time last night, the Defence Force and US Coast Guard had rescued 110 people, 19 of them women, but it was believed that more bodies would be recovered.

Most of the victims drowned, but lack of drinking water may have played a part in some of the deaths, as the vessel was at sea for more than a week and many survivors were severely dehydrated.

Authorities became aware of the sloop over the weekend when six Haitians found on Twin Cay told of a wrecked ship overcrowded with migrants nearby.

US Coast Guard liaison officer Lt Commander Doug Jannusch said after being contacted by the Defence Force, they deployed a helicopter from the AUTEC base in Andros.

The Coast Guard team was able to rescue some of the migrants, but bad weather forced the effort to be abandoned.

On Monday, still amid high winds and rough seas, a Defence Force team made its way to the scene, just west of Harvey Cay, supported by the US helicopter.

Yesterday, as the weather calmed, the rescue effort was stepped up.

“We have two vessels on site; we have a vessel that is conducting sweeps and we have one conducting patrol,” said Lt Origin Deleveaux.

He said the sloop, thought to have been on its way to the United States, was in an “unsanitary” condition when they arrived, and that the Haitians had been travelling with “zero navigational aid”.

Lt Deleveaux thanked the Coast Guard on behalf of the Defence Force and the Bahamas for all its help during the tragedy.

He said the Defence Force expected to bring the survivors to New Providence late last night. Meanwhile the search and rescue mission continues.