Authorities stated on Friday that four migrants perished and about 20 others went missing after their boat capsized off the coast of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.
The boat, en route to Puerto Rico, a US island territory had about 40 passengers. Dominican civil defense authorities confirmed 17 migrants were rescued from the sea.
The Dominican navy reported that they had rescued 10 Dominicans and seven Haitians. One of the survivors was a child.
Dangerous Boats and Expensive Trips
The officials said that the vessel in question, locally referred to as a ‘yola’, is normally made of fiberglass or wood and does not conform to prescribed safety standards.
Migrants are willing to pay as much as $7,000 for a one-way journey from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico.
The Dominican Republic uses the island of Hispaniola with the neighboring country of Haiti, which has been abounding in political and economic instability.
Migration Trend on the Increase
Illegal migration pathways from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico have also increased significantly over the last decade with more individuals willing to take the risk of crossing in the hopes of finding themselves on US soil.
